o 

2 


NOTES    TAKEN 


DURING   THE    EXPEDITION 


COMMANDED  BY  CAPT.  R.  B.  MARCY,  U.  S.  A. 


THROUGH 


UNEXPLORED  TEXAS, 


In  the  Summer  and  Fall  of  1854. 


BY    W.   B.   PARKER 

Attached  to  the  Expedition. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

HAYES   &  ZELL,  No.  193  MARKET  STREET. 
1856.. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1865, 

BY    HAYES    4    ZELL, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  for  the 
Eastern  District  of  Ponnsvlvnnia. 


WHO  A   BAIRD,   PRINTERS,   SANSOM   HT. 


irwy 


TO 

MY    WIFE 

I  Dedicate  my  Book. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTEE  I. 

OBJECT  OF   THE    EXPEDITION. 

Act  of  Texas  Legislature.— Capt.  Marcy  ordered  to  take  Command.— De- 
parture from  New  York.— Arrival  at  Fort  Smith.— Fitting  out  the  Train.— 
Departure  for  Fort  Washita^— Incidents  of  the  first  two  days 

CHAPTEK  II. 

CHOCTAW   AGENCY   TO   GAINES7   CEEEK. 

Arrive  at  the  Agency.— Law  against  introduction  of  whiskey  among  the 
Indians. — Ball  play. — Profanity  among  teamsters. — Description  of  an  Indian 
family  and  hut.— Accident  to  wagon.— Meeting  of  friends.— Pass  the  nar- 
rows.—Bituminous  coal  found.— Emigrant's  grave.— Night  in  an  Indian 
hut.— The  sub-Chief  and  his  peculiarities.— Arrival  at  the  Fouche  Maliant.— 
Arrival  at  the  Council-House.— Singular  pottery  found.— Description  of 
prairie  scenery. — Flies  troublesome, — Mutiny  among  teamsters. — Detention 
of  train.— Description  of  the  Indian  in  his  home 17 

CHAPTER  III. 

GAINES'    CREEK  TO   FORT   WASHITA. 

Horse  bitten  by  a  snake.— Prairie  flowers.— Oats  met  with.— White  men 
married  to  squaws.— Law  upon  the  subject.— Fossils  found.— Coal  abund- 


yi  CONTENTS. 

ant.— Soil,  limestone.— Army  worm.— Severe  storm.— Emigrants  met  with.— 
Arrive  at  the  Boggy.— Choctaw  swamp.— Wild  cattle.— Train  stopped.— Start 
for  the  fort.— Flies  troublesome.— Cross  the  Blue.— Arrive  at  Washita 42 


CHAPTER  IV. 

STAY   AT  FOET   WASHITA. 

Description  of  the  Post— Pleasant  stay  among  our  friends.— Fossiliferous 
Remains.— Prairie,  ancient  bed  of  the  ocean.— Prairie  Flowers.— Timber 
through  the  country.— Indians  met  with.— Soil  of  the  Choctaw  and  Chicka- 
saw  Reserves.— Remarks  upon  the  Natives.— Territorial  Bill.— Captain 
leaves  on  22d  with  part  of  the  Train 53 


CHAPTER  Y. 

FORT   WASHITA   TO    LOWER   CROSS   TIMBERS. 

Leave  the  Fort.— Military  escort— Adventure  with  a  Chickasaw.— Arrive 
at  Red  River.— Scenes  at  the  Ferry.— Town  of  Preston.— Desperate  fight— 
Description  of  soil,  Ac.— Cross  Big  Mineral.— Basin  Spring.— Distances  on 
Plains  deceptive.— Arrive  at  Lower  Cross  Timbers 67 

CHAPTER  VI. 

LOWER  CROSS  TIMBERS  TO  UPPER  CROSS  TIMBERS. 

Camp  on  Elm  Fork  of  Trinity.-Independence  day.-Arrival  of  Indian 
hunt«rs.-R«mark*  on  the  Delawares.-Arrival  at  Gainesville.— Description 
o  Tornado.— Funny  scene  in  Gainesville.— Last  house  in  Texas.— Parlanct 


CONTENTS.  Vll 

of  the  settlers.— Camp  on  the  Trinity.— Night  march.— Manner  of  tracking 
horses  by  the  Indians.— First  rattlesnake  killed.— Arrival  at  Upper  Cross 
Timbers 81 


CHAPTER  VII. 

UPPER    CROSS   TIMBERS   TO   LITTLE   WITCHITA. 

Thoughts  at  Sunset.— Enter  the  Timber.— Camp  fire  half  way.— Old 
soldier  brought  in. — Jackson's  Adventure. — Singular  Mounds. — The  Dela- 
ware? in  Camp. — Sunset  Scene. — Arrive  at  Little  Witchita 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

LITTLE   WITCHITA   TO   COTTON   WOOD    SPRING. 

Curious  phenomenon. — Buffalo  signs  seen. — History  of  the  buffalo. — Deer 
bleat.— Me?quite  trees.— Captain  leaves  for  Belknap.— Ox  killed.— Wolves 
abundant.— Indian  relics  found.— Wild  horse  tracks  seen.— Wild  passion 
flower.— Kickapoo  camp.— Arrive  at  Cotton  Wood  Spring 100 


CHAPTER  IX. 

CAMP   AT  THE   COTTON    WOOD   SPRING. 

Officers  leave.— Description  of  Camp.— Wild  Indians  come  in.— Treatment 
of  Squaws.— Visit  of  the  Indians.— Indian  Bivouac.— Departure  of  Indians.— 
Captain  and  party  arrive. — Major  Neighbours. — Description  of  our  Indian 
Corps 110 


Viii  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTEK  X. 

COTTON  WOOD  SPRING  TO  DIVIDING  RIDGE. 
Leave  the  road.— Description  of  country  from  Red  River.— Stock  raising 
in  Texas.— Buck  killed.— Indian  cookery.— Description  of  Bluffs.— Kickapoo 
grave.— Cactus  seen.— Deer  called  up  by  bleat.— Mesquite  Beans.— Bridging 
Ravines.— Black  Flies.— Cross  Crater.— Snakes  shot.— Arrive  at  Little  Witch- 
ita.— Mesquite  Grass.— Indian  signs.— Manner  of  lariating.— Valley  of  Witch- 
ita. — Fine  scenery  on  the  Plains. — Antelope  killed. — Anxiety  about  Horses. — 
Jackass  Rabbit  killed.— Breezes  on  the  Plains.— Exploring  Party  leave.— 
Arrive  at  branch  of  Big  Witchita.— Repairing  Wagons.— Intense  weather.— 
Effect  of  the  atmosphere.— Oxen  missing.— Reach  the  Little  Witchita.— 
Exploring  Party  return. — Insects  on  the  Plains. — Fawn  chase. — Camanche 
grave.— Reach  the  Divide 118 

CHAPTER  XI. 

DIVIDING   RIDGE  TO   THE  HEAD   OF   THE   BRAZOS. 

Water  scarce.— Iron  and  Copper  found.— Black  Lizard.— Scorpion  caught.— 
Camanche  signal. — Preparations  for  exploring  party  with  pack  mules,  &c. — 
Party  leave.— Antelopes  seen.— Barren  country.— Bad  water.— Filling  water- 
•acka.— Witchita  trail.— Conner's  sagacity.— Chapparal  cock.— Reach  Big  Wit- 
chita.—Quick  sands.— Accidents  frequent.— Dexterity  of  Indians  in  skinning 
deer.— Bluffs  met  with.— Bivouac  on  bluff.— Fire  in  bivouac.— Twilight  des- 
cribed.—Rattlesnake  killed.— Gypsum  found.— Stream  crooked.— Bitter 
water.— Sickness  in  the  party.— Large  grasshopper  found.— Insects  scarce.— 
Head  of  Big  Witchita.— Travelling  South.— Limestone  water  found.— Ca- 
manche grave.— Singular  ridge.— Man  lost.— Bivouac  on  Brazos.— Alarm  in 
bivouacs-Prairie  Dog  town.— Catfish  Creek.— Camanche  trail.— Rough 
country.— Singular  knobs.— Hard  times.— Man  very  ill.— Gypsum  mountain. 
— CTOM  fork  of  Bra**.— Better  country.— Prairie  Dogs.— Table  Mountain.— 
Arrive  on  LUno  Eactaeado.— Head  of  the  Brazoa ,..  141 


CONTENTS.  IX 


CHAPTEK  XII. 

HEAD  OF  THE  BRAZOS  TO  FLAT  ROCK  CREEK. 

Halt  on  the  Llano  Esctacado.— Grand  View.— Descend  from  the  plain.— 
Long  Ride.— Miserable  Bivouac.— Curious  sight.— Panther  Chase.— Terrible 
Storm. — Severe  sufferings.— Indian  Shealing.— Pleasant  dreams.— Water 
plenty.— Singular  bush.— Chain  of  lakes.— Beautiful  spring.— Pleasant 
Bivouac. — Mesquite  Gum. — Eickapoos. — Pish  shot. — Manner  of  spearing 
fish.— Reach  our  Camp.— Move  Camp.— Flat  Rock  Creek. 162 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

FLAT  ROCK  CREEK  TO  CLEAR  FORK  OF  THE  BRAZOS. 

Camp  in  flames.— Hot  weather.— Great  change.— Accident  to  Train  — 
Jacobs  leaves.— Jackson  the  Delaware.— First  Camanches  met.— Description 
of  Ke-tum-e-see  and  wives. — Talk  held. — Camp  at  Double  Mountain  Fork. 
—Chief  and  wiveg  leave.— Large  Cactus  met  with.— Reach  the  Clear  Fork.— 
Stem's  Rancho. — Indian  Justice. — Camp  on  Clear  Fork.- 176 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

CAMP  ON  CLEAR  FORK  OF  THE  BRAZOS. 

Sub-chiefs  arrive.— Incidents  with  the  chiefs.— Story  of  the  German 
settlement. — Exploring  the  country. — Se-na-co  and  party  arrive. — Des- 
cription of  the  party. — Interesting  woman. — Invalid  discribed. — Mexican 
boy.— Naroni  and  his  costume.— Camanche  women.— Camanche  lance  and 
shield.— Feeding  the  Indians.— Toilette  of  the  men  described.— Indian 


x  CONTENTS. 

dance.-Drewing  skins.— Council  held.— Presents  distributed.— Women 
bathing.— Plan  of  hardening  horses'  hoofs.— Little  Mexican.— Indians 
leave.— Remarks  upon  traders.— New  species  of  Squirrels.— Ke-tum-e-see 
and  the  invalid.— Excitement  in  camp.— Move  camp 188 


CHAPTER  XV. 

CAMP  ON  THE  CLEAR  FORK  TO  CAMP  ON  THE  LOWER  BRAZOS. 

Survey  concluded.— Leave  for  Fort  Belknap.— Description  of  country 
passed  over.— Manner  of  designating  Indian  Camps  by  the  Delawares.— 
Arrive  at  Fort  Belknap.— Indian  Council  held.— Bear  Head  the  interpreter. 
—Description  of  Fort  Belknap,— Lieut.  Givings,  a  true  sportsman.— Puma 
chaae.— March  to  Caddo  Village.— Description  of  the  Village.— Jim  Shaw 
and  his  family.— Grasses  met  with  on  our  trip.— Finish  the  Survey.— Leave 
for  home 212 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

* 
THE    INDIANS    OF    THE    COUNTRY. 

Names  of  the  tribes. — John  Conner  the  Delaware  Guide. — Customs 
among  the  Delawares.— Traits  of  character  with  anecdotes  illustrative.— 
Descriptions  of  other  tribes. — Creek  green-corn  dance  and  feast. — Traditions 
among  the  tribes.— Incidents  of  the  Quapaws.— The  Camanches,  number 
and  division.— Supposed  origin.— Religious  ideas.— Contempt  for  the  whites. 
—Treatment  of  women.— Customs  among  them.— Their  habit*.— Anecdote* 
of  the  Camauchea.-General  Remarks ...  221 


PKEFACE. 

THESE  desultory  Notes,  taken  merely  to  refresh  my  memory 
when  recurring  to  scenes  so  fraught,  to  me,  with  interesting 
reminiscences,  would  never  have  met  the  public  eye  had  it 
not  been  for  the  kind  and  flattering  solicitations  of  friends 
who  have  perused  my  journal ;  and  if,  by  putting  them  in 
print,  I  can  excite  one-half  the  interest  and  pleasure  with  the 
general  reader  which  the  expedition  gave  me,  I  shall  be  amply 
repaid  for  the  time  spent  and  the  care  taken  in  writing  my 
book. 

In  the  arrangement  of  my  work  my  object  is  twofold,  viz., 
to  impart  all  tlie  information  I  can  respecting  the  physical 
character  of  the  country  passed  through  on  the  whole  line  of 
our  march  from  the  frontier,  and  to  entertain,  by  relating  from 
personal  observation,  scenes  and  incidents  of  daily  occurrence, 
whilst  roaming  through  so  wild  a  region  as  the  far  South- 
West. 

Associated  as  I  was  with  men  of  long  experience  .iu  the 
performance  of  similar  duties,  my  observations  have  been 
aided  by  scientific  knowledge,  whilst  the  protection  of  a  gov- 
ernment escort  gave  opportunity  for  close  inspection,  without 
the  harrassing  anticipation  of  attack  and  disaster — a  great 
barrier  to  thorough  investigation  of  a  country  by  private 
parties. 


Xii  PREFACE. 

Many  of  my  scenes  and  incidents  in  prairie  and  Indian  life 
are  a  personal  narrative.  Where  not.  they  are  taken  from  the 
mouths  of  those  who  were  witnesses  or  actors  in  them,  and 
whose  long  experience  gives  them  a  right  to  full  confidence  on 
my  part. 

As  a  personal  narrative,  I  have  not  thought  proper  to  be 
minute,  but  in  mentioning  soil,  climate  and  natural  history 
have  spoken  in  general  terms,  except  a  few  digressions,  which 
I  thought  necessary  to  fully  understand  the  subject. 

This  is  now  the  fourth  expedition  that  Captain  Marcy  has 
accomplished,  with  honour  and  credit  to  himself,  and  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  government.  Major  Neighbours  had  lived 
the  best  years  of  his  life  upon  the  frontier,  and  had  spent  four- 
teen years  in  intimate  relation  with  the  wild  Indians.  Dr.  Shu- 
mard  had  the  experience  of  the  Red  River  trip  under  Captain 
Marcy,  besides  being  well  versed  in  geology,  mineralogy,  and 
natural  history ;  whilst  the  corps  of  Indian  hunters  and  guides 
were  themselves  efficient  by  birth  and  habit,  and  led  by  a  Del- 
aware of  intelligence  and  great  experience,  whose  traits  and 
stories  of  Indian  life  were  imparted  with  freedom,  and  every 
reason  for  full  reliability. 

With  such  advantages,  I  trust  I  have  made  a  book,  reliable 
for  what  information  it  may  contain,  and  entertaining,  from 
the  incidents  I  have  endeavoured  to  combine  with  what  might 
be  otherwise  considered  dry  detail. 


FORT  SMITH  TO  THE  CHOCTAW  AGENCY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

OBJECT   OF   THE    EXPEDITION. 

Act  of  Texas  Legislature. — Capt.  Marcy  ordered  to  take  Command. — Departure 
from  New  York. — Arrival  at  Fort  Smith. — Fitting  out  the  Train. — Departure 
for  Fort  "Washita.— Incidents  of  the  first  two  days. 

THE  great  drawback  to  rapid  settlement  beyond  the  frontier 
of  the  South  and  West,  is  the  depredations  committed  by  the 
roving  bands  of  Indians,  who  subsist  in  that  region.  These 
people  live  an  entirely  nomadic  life,  have  no  settled  homes, 
wander  from  place  to  place  over  the  vast  plains  in  search  of 
game  or  plunder,  and  living  in  this  precarious  way,  are  neces- 
sarily often  reduced  to  a  state  of  starvation.  As  they  live 
entirely  upon  flesh,  large  quantities  are  of  course  consumed, 
and  when  reduced  to  short  allowance,  they  eat  horses  and 
mules.  This,  together  with  the  necessity  of  having  animals 
to  transport  themselves  and  "families,  also  to  use  in  war  and 
the  chase,  induces  constant  forays  upon  exposed  situations, 
when  murder,  rapine  and  captivity  are  the  inevitable  results 
to  the  hapless  settler.  Many  well  cultivated  spots  have  thus 
been  broken  up  and  abandoned,  and  the  continuance  of  the 
evil  retards  emigration  and  euterprize  to  such  an  extent  that 
large  tracts  of  the  most  fertile  kind  are  left  tenantless. 

To  remove  this  scourge  from  her  territory,  the  State  of 


10  NOTES   TAKEN. 

Texas,  by  an  act  of  her  Legislature,  approved  Feb.  6th,  ]  854, 
appropriated  eighteen  square  leagues  of  her  unlocated  lands, 
to  form  a  reserve,  for  the  settlement  of  all  the  Indians  within 
her  borders,  on  condition  that  the  United  States  government 
would  cause  these  lands  to  be  located  and  surveyed,  and 
would  induce  the  Indians  to  settle  upon  them,  confine  them- 
selves to  their  limits,  go  to  farming,  and  quit  their  wandering 
and  predatory  habits, — the  United  States  government  also 
agreeing  to  send  agricultural  implements,  seeds,  men  to  teach 
the  Indians  to  farm  and  take  care  of  stock,  and  subsistence 
for  the  Indians  until  a  crop  was  raised. 

The  Secretary  of  War,  and  Secretary  of  the  Interior, 
issued  orders  in  April  of  the  same  year,  to  Captain  Marcy, 
then  in  New  York,  to  repair  forthwith  to  Fort  Smith,  on  the 
frontier  of  Arkansas,  and  organize  an  expedition  to  carry 
out  the  provisions  of  this  act. 

The  previous  reputation  of  this  officer,  his  long  experience 
and  thorough  knowledge  of  prairie  and  frontier  life,  eminently 
qualified  him  for  this  duty,  connected  with  which  he  was  also 
required  to  penetrate  the  terra  incognita  at  the  head  waters 
of  the  Big  Washita  and  Brazos  rivers,  explore  these  streams 
to  their  sources,  and  ascertain  the  description  of  country 
where  they  take  their  rise. 

The  long  and  friendly  intimacy  that  had  existed  between 
the  Captain  and  myself,  afforded  me  an  opportunity  to  realize 
what  has  been  to  me  the  dream  of  my  whole  life,  viz.,  a  tour 
over  the  vast  plains  of  the  far  South-west ;  and  it  was  with 


FORT   SMITH.  11 

no  little  pleasure  and  self-congratulation  that  I  availed 
myself  of  it,  as  I  should  have,  not  only  an  intimate  friend 
of  noble  spirit,  energy  and  experience  for  my  companion  and 
director,  but  also  the  sanction  and  protection  of  the  govern- 
ment. As  may  be  supposed,  no  persuasion  was  necessary, 
and  though  the  time  was  short,  my  preparations  were  soon 
made. 

Captain  Marcy's  orders  arrived  on  the  26th  of  April,  and 
on  the  4th  of  May  we  left  New  York,  arriving  in  Fort  Smith 
on  the  18th,  when  the  Captain,  with  his  accustomed  energy, 
aided  by  the  efficient  Quartermaster,  Captain  French,  imme- 
diately set  about  his  preparations,  and  with  such  perseve- 
rance and  success,  that  by  the  1st  of  June  we  were  ready  for 
our  long  journey. 

The  town  of  Fort  Smith,  (in  the  suburbs  of  which  stands 
the  garrison,)  is  a  place  of  considerable  commercial  impor- 
tance, doing  a  large  Indian  and  up  river  trade.  It  stands 
upon*  the  Arkansas  river,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Poteau, 
and  contains  about  twenty-five  hundred  inhabitants. 

The  garrison  is  well  and  substantially  built  of  brick,  and 
was  at  the  time,  the  head  quarters  of  the  seventh  infantry, 
commanded  by  Colonel  Wilson,  who,  during  the  Mexican  war 
was  governor  of  Yera  Cruz.  This  officer,  took  a  deep  interest 
in  the  expedition,  (as  he  does  in  everything  national,)  and  to 
him,  we  were  indebted  for  many  civilities,  during  our  short 
stay. 

The    Captain    here  secured   the  services    of   Dr.   G.  G 


12  NOTES   TAKEN. 

Shumard  (a  resident  physician  of  Fort  Smith,)  who  accom- 
panied him  on  his  Red  river  exploration,  as  surgeon  and 
naturalist,  and  joined  us  in  the  same  capacity.  He  was  an 
ardent  enthusiast  in  the  cause  of  science  and,  most  indefati- 
gable in  its  pursuit. 

By  orders,  we  were  to  get  our  military  escort  at  Fort 
Arbuckle,  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  west,  but  the 
Captain  determined,  to  march  with  our  train  through  the 
Choctaw  county  to  Fort  Washita  and  meet  the  escort  there, 
as  the  road  was  smoother,  and  more  travelled. — a  great  differ- 
ence in  our  favor,  with  our  heavy  train. 

June  1st. — We  left  Fort  Smith  at  noon,  and  crossing  the 
Poteau  river,  immediately  in  rear  of  the  garrison,  entered 
upon  the  Choctaw  Reserve,  "  en  route "  for  Fort  Washita, 
one  hundred  and  eighty  miles  distant. 

Our  train  consisted  of  nine  wagons,  containing  provisions, 
ammunition,  camp  equipage,  small  stores,  and  every  thing 
necessary  for  our  journey.  Each  of  these  was  drawn  by 
three  yokes  of  oxen ;  we  had,  besides,  ten  horses,  an  ambu- 
ance  drawn  by  two  mules,  and  fifteen  men,  as  teamsters, 
lartificers,  cooks  and  hostlers. 

The  road,  which  was  narrow,  with  but  a  single  track,  ran 
through  a  rich  alluvial  bottom,  overgrown  with  a  dense, 
luxuriant  growth  of  wild  cane  and  immense  cotton-wood  trees, 
and  owing  to  the  prevalence  of  late  rains,  was  one  quagmire 
for  ten  miles. 

Our  oxen,  (unaccustomed  to  their  drivers,  and  to  a  service 


FIRST   ENCAMPMENT.  13 

which,  from  the  depth  of  the  road,  was  so  entirely  different 
from  steady  farm  work,)  proved  very  refractory,  so  it  was 
not  long  before  two  wagons  were  broken  down,  and  to  add 
to  our  difficulties,  a  violent  storm  arose,  of  wind,  rain,  hail, 
thunder,  and  lightning,  fully  realizing  the  truth  of  the  old 
adage,  "  it  never  rains  but  it  pours." 

Owing  to  these  circumstances,  and  finding  no  convenient 

t 
place  to  encamp,  (the  whole  country  being  flooded,)  it  was  not 

until  ten  P.  M.,  that  we  reached  a  short  prairie,  twelve  miles 
upon  our  route,  where  wet  and  hungry,  with  the  rain  pouring 
down  in  torrents,  we  found  that  the  disabled  wagons  (which 
we  were  obliged  to  leave  in  the  swamp  until  they  could  be 
repaired,)  contained  our  camp  baggage  and  rations,  so  that 
we  were  obliged  to  resign  ourselves  to  a  supperless  bed,  upon 
the  wet  grass,  until  the  morning,  thus  making  my  initiation 
into  camp  life,  rather  laborious  and  exciting,  but  far  from 
pleasant. 

An  incident  during  our  march,  amused  and  cheered  me 
very  much. 

Whilst  riding  along  by  the  train,  my  ears  were  startled 
by  an  old  familiar  air,  and  I  found  the  amateur  was  one  of 
our  ox  drivers.  He  was  carolling  a  moonlight  love  ditty, 
whilst  wading  mid  leg  in  mud.  Sentiment  under  difficulties  ; 
I  knew  not  which  to  admire  most,  the  song,  or  the  happy 
spirits  of  the  singer ;  he  seemed  to  admire,  and  feel  quite 
satisfied  with  both,  judging  from  the  hearty  will  with  which 

he  appealed  to  moonlight,  music,  love  and  flowers.     Surely,  a 

2* 


14  NOTES   TAKEN. 

poetical  ox  driver  is  an  anomaly  for  a  more  unpoetical 
occupation  cannot  be  imagined. 

June  2d.— Towards  morning,  the  storm  subsided,  but  when 
day  dawned,  four  horses  and  one  yoke  of  oxen  were  missing. 
I  mounted  my  horse  to  search  for  them,  having  previously 
despatched  a  party  to  assist  in  getting  up  the  wagons  from 
the  swamp.  In  the  course  of  my  ride,  I  met  with  a  very 
agreeable  surprise  at  an  Indian  house  by  the  roadside,  where 
I  stopped  to  make  some  inquiries. 

My  attention  had  been  arrested  in  passing  this  house, 
during  the  storm-  and  darkness  of  the  previous  night,  by  a 
merry  ringing  laugh,  and  cheerful  conversation.  On  stopping 
this  morning,  I  was  met  by  a  kind  and  courteous  welcome 
from  one  of  the  inmates,  (whose  voice  I  recognized  as  the 
same,)  who  hearing  my  story,  invited  me  to  breakfast,  and 
made  me  quite  forget  my  cares,  in  the  charm  of  her  society. 
A  prairie  flower,  brought  up  and  educated  upon  the  frontier, 
she  had  never  been  in  a  town  of  any  size  in  her  life,  but 
though  ignorant  of  the  world,  and  forms  of  society,  I  found 
her  a  proud  specimen  of  native  grace,  intelligence,  and 
affability.  A  Cherokee,  she  owed  her  improvement  in  mind, 
to  the  excellent  institution  founded  by  Ross,  at  Talaqua,  her 
manners,  however,  were  the  result  of  no  convention,  but  the 
pift  of  birth  and  blood.  The  daughter  of  a  distinguished 
chief  of  her  tribe,  her  soul  was  full  of  the  ancient  nobility  of 
her  race,  whilst  filled  with  indignation  at  their  wrongs  and 
present  degradation,  and  her  eye  kindled,  and  her  tongue 


INDIAN   BELLE.  15 

became  eloquent  whilst  dwelling  npon  their  ancient  grandeur. 
I  was  charmed  beyond  measure,  surprised  to  a  degree,  for 
with  a  majority,  I  had  hitherto  considered  Indian  worth  and 
character,  a  matter  of  tradition  ;  it  was  like  sunset  upon  a 
ruin,  or  like  the  last  strains  of  distant  melody,  which  linger 
upon  the  ear  as  if  loathe  to  leave.  Subsequent  experience  has 
proven  to  me,  however,  that  she  was  but  one  in  a  thousand,^ — 
the  death  knell  of  Indian  greatness  has  sounded,  and  ere  long 
he  will  have  vanished  forever  from  the  scene, 

The  wagons  coming  up  I  was  obliged  to  leave,  when  she 
proposed  to  accompany  me  a  short  distance,  as  she  wished  to 
visit  a  sick  person  in  the  neighborhood.  Taking  down  an 
excellent  double  barrelled  gun,  and  equipping  herself  regu- 
larly for  hunting,  with  powder  and  shot  flasks,  gamebag,  &c,, 
she  smiled  at  my  surprised  look,  and  remarked,  (i  I  hope  to 
have  the  opportunity  to  show  you  I  can  use  them,"  and  so 
she  did,  as  a  squirrel  and  two  quails  were  the  result  of  her 
unerring  aim  and  steady  nerves,  in  the  short  space,— half  a 
mile,— that  she  accompanied  me.  With  this  double  battery 
of  eyes  and  arms,  wo  betide  a  susceptible  bachelor,  so  thought 
I,  but  in  my  case  it  was  Ulysses  and  Calypso,  so  bidding 
adieu  to  my  quondam  syren,  I  galloped  off  to  the  unromantic 
drudgery  of  the  camp.  Arriving  there,  I  found  the  missing 
oxen  and  horses  had  been  brought  in,  and  all  hands  busy 
in  preparing  a  hearty  meal,  after  which  tents  were  pitched, 
and  we  spent  a  comfortable  night. 

The    prairie,   on   which   we  were    encamped,   wag    about 


16  NOTES   TAKEN. 

three  miles  wide,  destitute  of  trees,  but  covered  with  rich 
grass,  and  beautiful  flowers,  among  which  the  prairie  pink, 
shone  conspicuous,  also  a  species  of  blue  flag,  very  delicate, 
I  made  some  selections  of  both.  The  soil  was  a  dark  loam. 


NOTES   TAKEN.  17 

CHAPTER  II. 

CHOCTAW   AGENCY   TO   GAINES*    CREEK. 

Arrive  at  the  Agency.— Law  against  introduction  of  whiskey  among  the  Indians.— 
Ball  play.— Profanity  among  teamsters.— Description  of  an  Indian  family  and 
hut. — Accident  to  wagon. — Meeting  of  friends. — Pass  the  narrows. — Bituminous- 
coal  found.— Emigrants  grave.— Night  in  an  Indian  hut.— The  suh-Chief  and 
his  peculiarities.— Arrival  at  the  Fouche  Maliant.— Arrival  at  the  Council- 
House.— Singular  pottery  found.— Description  of  prairie  scenery.— Flies  trou- 
hlesoma— Mutiny  among  teamsters.— Detention  of  train.— Description  of  the 
Indian  in  his  home. 

June  3rd. — A  start  at  noon  to  day,  brought  us  to  the  Choc- 
taw  Agency  at  five  P.  M.,  where  we  witnessed — accidentally 
— a  painful,  though  necessary  execution  of  the  laws  of  the 
United  States,  against  the  introduction  of  whiskey  among  the 
Indians.  The  penalty  is  severe,  viz.,  fine,  imprisonment, 
confiscation  of  the  whiskey,  and  in  case  of  negroes,  flogging, 
at  the  discretion  of  the  authorities.  We  had  previously  seen 
two  negroes  chained  together  by  the  neck,  and  driven  along 
the  road,  by  several  men ;  these  proved  to  be  the  offenders, 
the  one  a  freeman,  the  other  a  slave.  It  is  optional  with  the 
owner,  to  allow  the  slave  to  be  whipped  or  not,  (the  alternative 
being  expulsion  from  the  nation,)  and  in  this  instance  he 
declined,  but  the  free  negro  was  undergoing  the  infliction  of 
sixty  lashes,  laid  on  with  an  unmerciful  hand,  and  to  judge  by 
his  groans  and  cries,  the  punishment  was  full  expiation  for  the 
offence. 

This  law  has  had  a  very  good  effect,  and  enlisting  as  it  does 


18  NOTES   TAKEN. 

the  pride  and  energies  of  the  Indians  themselves,  it  creates  a 
spirit  of  emulation  among  them,  in  this  way,  viz.,  a  police 
force  is  organized,  called  the  Light  Horse,  under  pay  from 
the  general  government.  Their  duty  is  a  general  one,  but 
particularly  to  seize  and  destroy  all  liquor  introduced  upon, 
the  reserve  either  for  sale  or  private  use.  To  be  Captain  of 
the  Light  Horse  is  a  post  of  great  honor,  and  is  a  source  of 
much  rivalry  among  the  young  men  of  the  nation,  thus 
thoroughly  identifying  them  with  this  praiseworthy  effort  to 
remove  a  scourge  from  the  red  man,  more  terrible  in  its 
consequences  to  him  than  death.  The  same  law  is  enforced, 
in  regard  to  all  Indians  within  the  boundaries  of  the  States 
and  Territories,  and  though  often  evaded  has  had  an  infinite 
salutary  effect  in  reducing  crime  and  distress  among  them. 

The  little  town  of  Scullyville,  where  the  agency  is  located, 
is  a  collection  of  log  tenements,  principally  stores,  where  a 
large  Indian  trade  is  done.  It  stands  about  a  mile  from  an 
extensive  prairie,  the  road  to  which,  like  that  from  our  late 
encampment,  ran  over  a  succession  of  hills  of  sand  and  clay 
covered  with  low  post  oaks. 

Upon  entering  upon  the  prairie,  we  observed  in  the 
distance  a  crowd  of  natives  in  gay  clothing,  the  brilliant 
colours  blending  with  the  verdure,  and  making  at  sunset  a 
truly  picturesque  scene.  Riding  up,  we  witnessed  a  scene 
never  to  be  forgotten.  It  was  a  ball-play.  Described,  as 
this  sport  has  been,  by  the  able  pencil  of  Catlin,  description 
falls  far  short  of  reality.  About  six  hundred  men,  women 


BALL   PLAY.  19 

and  children,  were  assembled,  all  dressed  in  holiday  costume, 
and  all  as  intent  upon  the  game  as  it  is  possible  to  be  where 
both  pleasure  attd  interest  combine.  The  interest,  is  one  tribe 
against  another,  or  one  county  of  the  same  tribe,  against  a 
neighboring  county  ;  the  pleasure,  that  which  savages  always 
take  in  every  manly  and  athletic  sport.  In  this  instance  the 
contestants  were  all  Choctaws,  practising  for  their  annual 
game  with  the  Creeks,  and  I  was  struck  with  the  interest 
taken  by  all  the  lookers  on,  in  the  proficiency  of  each  of  the 
players.  About  sixty  on  each  side  were  engaged  in  this 
exciting  play,  than  which  no  exercise  can  be  more  violent 
nor  better  calculated  to  develope  muscle  and  harden  the 
frame.  Each  player  provides  himself  with  what  are  called 
ball-sticks.  They  are  in  shape  like  a  large  spoon,  made  of  a 
piece  of  hickory  about  three  feet  long,  shaved  thin  for  about 
nine  inches  at  the  end  forming  the  spoon,  then  bent  round 
until  brought  into  shape,  the  end  securely  fastened  to  the 
handle  by  buckskin  thongs,  the  under  side  or  bottom  of  the 
spoon  covered  with  a  coarse  net  work  of  the  same  material. 
He  has  one  in  each  hand,  and  the  ball — about  the  size  of  a 
large  marble,  is  held  between  the  spoons  and  thrown  with  an 
overhand  rotary  motion,  separating  the  spoons,  when  the  top 
of  the  circle  is  reached. 

The  game  is  this — Two  poles  are  set  up,  each  about  seven- 
teen feet  high  and  a  foot  apart  at  the  bottom,  widening  to 
three  feet  at  top.  At  the  distance  of  two  hundred  yards,  two 
similar  poles  are  set  up  facing  these.  To  strike  the  poles,  or 


20  NOTES   TAKEN. 

throw  the  ball  between  them  counts  one,  and  twelve  is  game, 
An  umpire  and  starter  takes  the  ball,  advances  to  a  mark 
equi-distant  from  each  end  of  the  course,  and  throws  it  ver- 
tically into  the  air;  it  is  caught,  or  falling  upon  the  ground 
is  eagerly  struggled  for  and  thrown  toward  the  desired  point. 
We  saw  some  throw  the  ball  the  whole  distance. 

At  each  brace  of  poles,  judges  are  stationed,  who,  armed 
with  pistols,  keep  close  watch,  and  whenever  a  count  is  made 
fire  their  pistols.  The  ball  is  then  taken  and  started  anew. 

Among  the  players,  are  the  runners,  the  throwers,  and 
those  who  throw  themselves  in  the  way  and  baffle  the 
player  who  succeeds  in  getting  the  ball. 

The  runners  are  the  light  active  men,  the  throwers  heavier, 
and  then  the  fat  men,  who  can  neither  throw  nor  run,  stand 
ready  to  seize  a  thrower  or  upset  a  runner. 

When  a  runner  gets  the  ball,  he  starts  at  full  speed  towards  the 
poles  ;  if  intercepted,  he  throws  the  ball  to  a  friend,  a  thrower, 
perhaps,  he  is  knocked  down,  then  begins  the  struggle  for  the 
ball ;  a  scene  of  pushing,  jostling,  and  striking  with  the  ball 
sticks,  or  perhaps  a  wrestle  or  two,  all  attended  with  hard 
knocks  and  harder  falls.  Whilst  looking  on,  one  man  was 
pitched  upon  his  head  and  had  his  collar  bone  broken  ; 
another,  had  part  of  his  scalp  knocked  off,  but  it  was  all  taken 
in  good  humour,  and  what,  among  white  men,  would  inevitably 
lead  to  black  eyes  and  bloody  noses,  here  ended  with  the 
passage  or  possession  of  the  ball,  a  good  lesson  in  forbearance 
and  amiability,  worthy  of  imitation. 


BALL   PLAY.  21 

The  combatants  are  stripped  entirely  naked  except  a  breech 
cloth  and  moccasins,  and  gaudily  painted ;  they  fasten  at  the 
centre  and  small  of  the  back,  a  horse's  tail,  gaily  painted  and 
arrayed  like  a  tail  that  has  been  knicked  by  a  jockey  ;  some 
wore  bouquets  of  flowers  instead  of  the  tail,  but  these  were 
evidently  the  exquisites  of  the  party,  which  the  rings  worn 
in  the  ears,  nose  and  under  lips,  and  manner  of  arranging  the 
hair — one  having  it  cut  to  a  point  and  drawn  down  over  his 
right  eye,  whilst  his  left  eye  was  painted  green— clearly  proved. 
The  grotesque  appearance  of  the  players,  the  excitement,  yells 
and  shouts  of  the  crowd,  old  and  young,  and  the  gaudy  finery 
displayed,  all  combined  to  make  an  indelible  impression  upon 
our  memories.  The  aged  men  of  the  tribe  were  the  most  noisy 
and  excited.  One  old  fellow,  blind  of  an  eye  and  seventy 
years  old,  was  quite  wild  with  excitement ;  shaking  his  red 
handkerchief,  he  continued  to  shout,  hoo,  ka,  li — hoo,  ka,  li — 
catch,  catch,  when  the  ball  was  thrown,  and  chi,  ca,  ma, — 
good,  when  a  count  was  made,  until  quite  hoarse.  Doubtless, 
like  the  old  war  horse  at  the  sound  of  the  bugle,  he  felt  all  the 
fire  of  his  youth,  as  he  entered  into  the  full  spirit  of  this  truly 
and  only  Indian  sport. 

With  reluctance  we  were  obliged  to  leave  for  our  quiet 
camp  in  the  same  prairie,  and  until  nightfall,  could  hear  the 
yells  and  laughter  of  the  retiring  crowd. 

June  4th.  This  (the  first  extensive  prairie  we  had  met)  was 
about  seven  miles  wide,  surrounded  by  timber,  and  covered 

with  flowers,  among  which  the  marigold  and  clematis  were 

3 


22  NOTES    TAKEN. 

profuse;  the  soil  was  quite  sandy.  At  dawn  of  day  we 
were  again  "  en  route."  It  was  a  beautiful  sight  in  the  dim 
light  and  bracing  air  of  morning,  to  see  the  long  line  of 
white  covered  wagons  rolling  quietly  over  the  slopes  of  the 
prairie ;  the  lowing  of  the  oxen,  the  snorting  of  the  horses, 
the  shouts  and  cracking  of  whips  by  the  drivers,  with  all  the 
bustle  of  breaking  up  camp  made  np  an  enlivening  scene, 
which  must  be  experienced  to  be  enjoyed.  One  thing  however 
marred  its  enjoyment  to  me,  and  that  was  the  awful  profanity 
of  the  drivers.  I  have  often  since  had  occasion  to  comment 
upon  and  reprove  this  among  this  class  of  men,  but  never  has 
it  struck  me  as  so  ill-timed  and  unnatural  as  when  indulged  in, 
in  the  midst  of  natural  beauties,  which  might  fire  a  dying 
hermit ;  under  such  circumstances — blasphemy  (a  practice 
senseless,  sinful  and  unnecessary)  is  like  a  volcano,  devas- 
tating the  fair  fields,  and  sunny  vineyards,  of  Italian  climes, 
harrowing  to  the  soul,  revolting  to  nature. 

Being  quite  unwell — the  result  of  the  severe  exposure  of 
the  last  few  days,  I  stopped  in  the  course  of  the  morning  at 
an  Indian  hut  to  get  some  coffee,  and  had  an  opportunity  to 
make  some  observations  upon  the  indolence,  carelessness,  want 
of  calculation  and  slovenly  habits  of  this  semibarbarous 
people.  The  man  had  built  his  hut,  which  was  new,  about 
half  as  large  as  was  necessary  to  accommodate  his  family, 
consisting  of  five  adults  and  four  children,  and  even  this  he 
was  too  indolent  to  finish.  It  had  but  one  room,  built  of  logs, 
roofed  with  a  rude  clap  board,  split  from  sapling  oak.  The 


INDIAN    COFFEE.  23 

floor  was  laid  in  puncheons — logs  hewn  on  one  side.  He  had 
hewed  enough  to  cover  all  but  a  four  feet  square  hole  in  the 
centre,  this  was  left  open,  and  being  convenient,  was  used  as 
a  receptacle  for  offal  and  a  lounging  place  for  dogs,  of  which 
I  subsequently  ascertained  there  are  always  a  host  about 
every  Indian  house.  One  can  judge  of  the  atmosphere  of 
such  a  place. — Here  they  ate,  drank  and  slept,  and  as 
philosophers  say  that  man's  comfort  consists  in  his  idea  of 
what  constitutes  comfort,  managed  to  live. 

One  of  the  squaws  made  coffee  in  an  iron  skillet,  stirring  it 
with  an  oaken  paddle ;  when  poured  out  it  was  of  the  consis- 
tency of  corn  gruel,  but  having  called  for  it,  I  gulped  it  down 
for  fear  of  giving  offence,  and  paying  my  dime  took  my  depar- 
ture ;  my  opinion,  however,  formed  at  the  time,  I  have  had  no 
occasion  to  change  from  subsequent  observations  among  them. 

Our  road,  after  leaving  the  prairie,  ran  over  a  succession  of 
rough  stony  hills,  covered  with  low  oak  trees.  In  descending 
one,  the  foremost  wagon  was  disabled  by  the  breaking  of  an 
axle-tree,  and  as  the  road  was  too  narrow  to  pass,  we  were 
obliged  to  look  out  for  camping  ground,  where  there  was 
water  and  grass  to  last  until  the  damage  could  be  repaired. 
These  we  found  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  advance,  in  a 
swamp,  on  the  banks  of  the  Brazil ;  so  unhitching  our  oxen 
and  unsaddling  horses,  we  prepared  to  encamp.  Shortly 
after  a  severe  rain  storm  set  in,  so  that  with  wet,  gnats 
and  mosquitoes,  &c.,  the  evening  promised  to  be  anything 
but  pleasant,  when  just  as  we  began  to  feel  very  melan- 


24  NOTES   TAKEN. 

choly,  I  thought  I  heard  a  familiar  voice,  and  going  to  the 
door  of  the  tent,  who  should  I  meet  but  my  old  friend  S. 

H s,  whom  I  had  not  seen  for  sixteen  years.     He  was 

on  his  way  to  Fort  Washita,  and  having  been  thrown  from 
his  horse  in  the  prairie — the  horse  escaping — had  made  his 
way  on  foot  to  our  camp — stange  coincidences  happen  in  life, 
but  this  was  a  joyful  one  for  he  and  I,  that  after  so  many 
years  and  changes  in  fortune,  we  should  meet  by  accident  in 
this  wild  Indian  country,  to  fight  over  our  battles  by  the  camp 
fire's  light.  Had  he  dropped  from  the  clouds,  I  could  not 
have  been  more  surprised,  certainly  not  more  delighted,  and 
in  spite  of  rain  and  insects,  we  spent  a  lively  evening.  We 
supplied  him  with  a  horse,  and  he  remained  with  us  several 
days. 

June  5th. — Repairs  to  the  broken  wagon  detained  us  until 
a  late  hour  this  morning.  We  got  off  at  ten,  A.  M.,  and 
crossing  the  swollen  Brazil,  passed  through  several  short 
prairies  variegated  with  the  wild  sun-flower,  marygold  and 
wild-rose.  A  few  hours  brought  us  to  the  Narrows,  where 
the  road  ran  through  a  rugged  mountain  gorge,  very  difficult 
for  wagons.  The  locality  is  interesting  from  its  geological 
formation.  We  found  a  vein  of  bituminous  coal  seventeen 
inches  thick,  and  numerous  fossils  of  limestone,  the  soil  being 
argillaceous.  Near  the  road, "we  passed  an  emigrant's  grave, 
covered  with  a  pent  house  of  logs,  and  marked  by  the  tail- 
board of  a  wagon,  nailed  upon  a  stake,  upon  which  was  rudely 
written  with  tar,  "  George  Bemshaus,  born  in  Prussia,  October 


INDIAN   FARE.  25 

13th,  1812  ;  died,  March  2d,  1854."  Poor  fellow !  all  his  hopes 
of  home  and  fortune  in  the  land  of  freedom,  lay  here  on  a 
barren  hill-side  in  this  wild  Indian  country, — such  is  life,  a 
vision,  a  struggle,  a  grave. 

Before  leaving  Fort  Smith,  the  Captain  had  taken  the 
precaution  to  procure  some  corn,  to  feed  our  oxen  until  they 
became  accustomed  to  such  hard  work,  instead  of  depending 
entirely  upon  grass  diet.  This  supply  was  now  exhausted, 

and  H s  and  myself  started  in  advance  to  procure  more. 

Stopping  at  a  noted  place — Tushcounti's — we  were  told  we 
could  purchase  some  three  miles  farther  on — we  found — and 
I  have  since  constantly  observed — that  these  people  have  no 
idea  of  distance.  "When  one  gets  information  of  this  kind 
from  them,  it  is  best  to  multiply  by  two  and  add  the  original 
quantity,  even  then  sometimes — as  <in  our  case — falling  short 
of  the  fact.  "We  rode  twelve  miles  and  then  stopped  for  the 
night  at  an  Indian  hut.  As  we  had  eaten  nothing  since 
morning,  we  asked  if  we  could  have  eggs  and  chickens  for 
supper,  having  seen  plenty  of  the  feathered  bipeds  about,  and 
were  answered  in  the  affirmative.  With  appetites  sharpened 
by  our  exercise  and  long  fast,  we  came  to  supper  and  found 
the  eggs  served  up  on  the  only  pie'ce  of  family  plate,  'tis  true, 
a  glass  dish,  but  fried  in  tallow,  the  chickens  fried  in  the  same, 
and  a  dish  of  sausages,  made  of  the  intestines  of  the  hog,  dried 
in  the  sun,  a  meal  which  a  man  might  eat  when  in  imminent 
danger  of  starvation,  but  which  our  day's  fast  had  not  quite 

toned  our  appetites  to.    We  took  a  cup  of  coffee — the  only 
3* 


26  NOTES    TAKEN. 

thing  swallowdble,  and  went  to  the  door  to  smoke  and  look 
at  the  moon,  the  odour  of  the  viands  being  quite  sufficient. 
Next,  came  our  accommodations  for  the  night.  The  hut  had 
no  windows  in  it,  but  to  avoid  stumbling  over  the  living, 
snoring  crew  upon  the  floor,  a  pine  knot  blazed  upon  the 
hearth,  and  here,  stowed  in  one  corner,  lay  the  Indian,  his 
squaw,  his  daughter  about  nineteen  years  old,  two  young 
papooses,  a  negro  slave  with  an  infant  at  the  breast,  and  two 
dogs,  whilst  on  a  kind  of  shelf,  raised  about  two  feet  from  the 
floor,  were  perched  the  writer  and  his  friend,  with  our  saddles 
for  pillows,  and  our  horse  blankets  for  covering,  for  this  privi- 
lege we  paid  two  dollars.* 

June  6th. — When  morning  dawned,  we  wished  to  make  our 
usual  ablutions,  but  found  that  basin  and  towels,  were  not 
known  in  the  domestic  list ;  however  the  squaw  offered  us  an 
old  bake  pan  and  a  piece  of  cotton  cloth,  which  she  pulled  off 
of  a  bundle  in  the  hut,  we  declined  the  novelty,  and  preferred 

*In  this  country,  and  all  through  the  South  and  West,  prices  are  much 
higher  than  in  the  East,  and  from  what  seems  to  me,  to  be  an  unfair  cause, 
via.,  the  smallest  general  currency,  is  the  dime,  but  where  five  and  three  cent 
pieces  are  used,  they  are  taken  each  to  be  of  the  value  of  the  other ;  now  I 
noticed  in  a  town  in  Arkansas,  where  a  shrewd  fellow  took  advantage  of  this,  in 
this  way :— In  making  change  he  would  be  sure  to  give  three  cent  pieces  where 
fives  were  due,  and  take  fives  where  he  was  entitled  to  but  threes;  then,  when 
vixiting  New  Orleans,  to  make  purchase  of  goods,  he  would  buy  up  three  cent 
pieces  to  use  in  the  same  way.  To  be  sure,  it  was  but  a  small  business,  but 
turned  out  a  large  per  centagc  in  proportion. 

Cents  are  never  seen,  and  thus,  though  you  get  nothing  better  for  your 
money,  you  pay  just  this  proportionate  advance  for  it.  Whether  this  arises 
from  the  greater  abundance  of  money,  or  the  enlarged  views  of  the  population, 
I  loavn  f»r  those  to  judge  who  are  better  nlilo  than  myself. 


THE     SUB-CHIEF.  27 

contenting  ourselves  until  we  joined  the  train.  It  was  neces- 
sary to  have  some  breakfast,  however ;  so  taking  the  experience 
of  the  supper  for  our  guide,  we  superintended  the  boiling  of 
some  eggs  in  the  shells,  and  with  some  corn  dodgers  and  coffee 
made  out  very  well. 

Much  to  our  surprise  and  satisfaction,  our  quondam  host, 
who  enjoyed  the  high-sounding  name  of  George  Washington, 
stirred  himself  this  morning  and  procured  from  a  neighbor 
what  corn  we  wanted,  so  we  waited  here  until  the  train  came 
up.  This  neighbor  called  over  to  see  us,  and  afforded  us 
much  amusement.  He  was  a  sub-chief  of  his  tribe,  and  was 
indulging  in  one  of  his  periodical  debauches. '  "  I  am  a  first 
rate  fellow  but  I  must  have  whiskey,"  said  he;  "  how  often  do 
you  get  drunk  ?"  said  I.  He  replied,  "  once  every  three 
months."  "  How  long  does  it  last  ?"  Ans.  "  About  two  months." 
"  Well  then,  you  are  drunk  more  than  half  the  time  ?"  Ans. 
11  Oh  yes,  nearly  all  the  time,  but  then  the  old  woman,  she 
keeps  things  in  order."  So  it  is  with  the  victim  of  self-indul- 
gence, in  savage,  as  well  as  civilized  life,  the  old  woman,  is 
left  to  keep  things  in  order. 

Happening  to  mention  the  ball-play,  he  fired  up  at  once,  as 
it  turned  out  he  was  quite  a  sporting  man,  and  was  in  the 
habit  of  betting  heavily  upon  the  result  of  these  contests,  (at 
which,  by  the  way,  large  sums  of  money,  also  horses  and  mules, 
change  hands.)  and  of  course  was  well  booked  up.  "  Them 
Scullyville  fellows  can't  come  it  over  our  county,"  said  he, 
'  We  can  just  take  and  lam  them  out  of  their  boots."  Ha, 


28  NOTES   TAKEN. 

ha,  the  Bowery  among  the  Indians,  we  both  laughed  heartily 
at  the  idea,  and  were  not  a  little  surprised  to  find  he  had 
never  been  off  the  Eeserve  in  his  life,  so  that  slang  seems  to 
be  a  native  gift.  After  a  few  more  swigs  at  his  friend's  jug, 
the  sub-chief  retired  to  the  bushes,  if  not  great  like  kings, 
"  still  quite  as  glorious,  o'er  all  the  ills  of  life  victorious,"  and, 
judging  by  his  sonorous  snoring,  would  soon  be  prepared  for  a 
new  attack  upon  the  enemy. 

Soon  after  the  sub-chief's  departure,  the  train  came  up, 
when  we  joined  and  crossed  the  Fouche  Maliant,  a  stream 
which  empties  into  Ked  Eiver,  remembered  as  the  vicinity 
where  a  horrid  murder  was  committed  during  the  march  of 
the  escort  to  the  expedition  to  New  Mexico,  in  1849.  This 
murder,  illustrating,  as  it  does,  the  demoniac  spirit  of  the 
Indian  when  actuated  by  revenge,  is  worthy  of  note. 
The  circumstances  are  these,  and  show  clearly  that  Lex 
Talionis  is  de  facto  the  only  law  recognized  by  the  In- 
dian. 

One  of  the  soldiers,  attached  to  the  escort,  killed  a  hog 
belonging  to  a  family  in  the  neighborhood,  at  which  they  were 
greatly  enraged.  When  the  officer  in  command,  the  lamented 

H n,  was  informed  of  the  matter,  he  returned  and  paid 

an  exorbitant  price  for  the  animal.  This  seemed  satisfactory, 
but  on  the  following  morning,  two  of  the  party  were  found 
murdered  with  tomahawks.  The  supposition  is,  that  emis- 
saries were  sent  out  (in  revenge,)  and  sufficient  time  did  not 
allow  of  their  rocal  after  the  hog  was  paid  for. 


FOUCHE    MALIANT.  29 

The  young  officer  mentioned,  afterwards  met  with  a 
tragical  end,  from  his  misplaced  confidence  in  the  Indians 
in  New  Mexico. 

A  man  of  extraordinary  amiability  and  goodness  of  heart, 
he  had  often  expressed  his  conviction  that  the  Indian  only 
wanted  a  display  of  confidence  reposed  in  him  by  the  white 
man  to  cause  him  to  fraternize.  Fatal  mistake  !  and  one  that 
cost  him  his  life.  Some  months  after  the  event  recorded 
above,  he  left  camp,  and  not  returning  at  the  time  expected, 
search  was  made  for  him,  when  his  dead  body  was  found, 
scalped  and  stripped. 

Everything  indicated  that  he  had  endeavoured  to  carry  out 
his  favourite  theory,  the  commanding  officer  of  the  expedition 
having  made  a  thorough  examination  of  the  ground  where 
the  murder  was  committed,  with  the  aid  of  his  Indian  guide, 
(the  results  of  which  are  given  in  the  note  appended,*)  and 
followed  the  murderers  forty  miles,  when,  owing  to  the  disabled 
condition  of  his  horses  and  mules,  he  was  obliged  to  return. 

*  The  sagacity  of  the  Delaware  guide  is  shown  in  the  minute  details  of  his 
report  of  this  investigation.  The  result  is  as  follows  : 

This  murder  was  committed  by  two  men.  They  had  two  mules  and  one  horse 
with  them.  They  came  down  upon  their  victim  at  full  gallop,  but  finding  that 
he  was  not  disposed  to  fly,  but  on  the  contrary  walked  his  horse  towards  them, 
they  also  pulled  up  to  a  walk.  The  parties  met  and  rode  a  short  distance 
together,  then  dismounted,  and  seating  themselves  on  the  grass,  smoked 
together.  Here  they  got  possession  of  his  rifle,  on  pretence,  as  supposed,  of 
examining  it.  As  this  was  the  only  weapon  he  had  with  him,  they  then  over- 
powered, tied  him,  and  placing  him  upon  his  horse,  led  the  horse  between  them 
into  some  timber,  skirting  a  ravine,  where  one  falling  behind,  shot  him  in  the 
back  of  his  head,  the  ball  found  in  the  brain,  indicating  that  the  deed  was  com- 


30  NOTES   TAKEN. 

Subsequent  experience  has  proved  to  me  that  the  invari- 
able rules  for  safety,  that  should  be  followed  by  single  indivi- 
duals or  small  parties,  when  away  from  camp,  and  meeting 
parties  of  Indians,  is  to  give  them  a  wide  berth,  and  for  this 
reason — if  sheer  plunder  is  not  the  object  of  attack,  according 
to  their  custom,  young  men  cannot  hold  any  position  in  their 
tribe,  until  they  can  show  a  scalp,  and  have  stolen  a  number 
of  horses.  In  consequence  of  this,  two  or  three  will  start 
together,  and  sometimes  be  absent  for  a  year,  until  they  can 
return  with  these  evidences  of  their  manliness. 

The  best  plan  is  either  to  make  the  escape  to  camp,  or  else 
preserving  a  bold  front,  take  care  to  have  the  first  shot. 

Had  young  H n  observed  these  directions,  so  often 

impressed  upon  him  by  his  experienced  commanding  officer,  he 
might  now  be  living,  an  ornament  to  the  service,  to  which  he 
was  a  great  loss,  as  he  was  mounted  upon  a  horse  remarkable 
for  fleetness,  and  was  a  crack  shot  with  the  rifle. 

A  few  miles  travel  brought  us  to  the  deserted  Council 
House  of  the  nation,  at  the  time  occupied  by  an  Indian 

mitted  with  his  own  rifle.  Hastily  stripping  him,  they  scalped  him,  threw  his 
body  into  a  ravine,  and  taking  everything  but  one  boot  and  his  saddle,  made 
their  escape.  Some  miles  farther  they  halted,  and  lighting  a  fire,  had  prepared 
eome  meat  for  cooking,  as  the  raw  meat  was  found  spitted  and  the  fire  smoul. 
dering.  They  left  here  very  hastily,  as  a  pair  of  moccasins,  a  lariat,  and  some 
other  articles  were  dropped  in  their  hurry,  occasioned  doubtless  by  hearing  the 
report  of  the  howitzer  which  was  fired  from  camp  at  sun-down  as  a  guide 
to  the  missing  officer. 

Minute  as  these  details  are,  they  are  true,  as  the  murderers  are  known,  and 
will  sooner  or  later  be  brought  to  justice.  All  the  Indian  had  to  direct  him 
wu  the  signs  in  the  grass,  Ac. 


PRAIRIE    SCENERY.  31 

family,  the   place   of  assembling  in    Council    having    been 
changed  to  Doaxville,  farther  south, 

It  was  a  long,  rambling  building,  built  of  logs,  and  not 
different,  except  in  size,  from  their  ordinary  houses.  Here  I 
dug  up  a  singular  piece  of  pottery,  of  an  antique  form,  and 
covered  with  various  devices,  but  was  unable  to  get  any  infor- 
mation about  it  from  the  family.  They  said  they  had  never 
seen  anything  like  it  before,  and  did  not  know  how  it  came 
there.  Its  shape  and  whole  appearance  proved  it  to  be  very 
ancient. 

Our  road  from  the  stream  was  gradually  ascending,  and 
bounded  on  both  sides  by  timber,  when  of  a  sudden  we 
reached  the  top  of  the  ridge  and  had  a  view  of  the  largest 
prairie  we  had  yet  met.  0,  the  glorious  beauty  of  that  scene. 
Fancy  would  in  vain  attempt  to  paint  it !  Below,  stretching 
for  twenty-five  miles  in  length,  and  twelve  in  breadth,  lay  a  sea 
of  pale  green,  hemmed  in  by  timber  of  a  darker  hue  ;  flowers  of 
every  variety,  shade  and  form,  interspersed  over  the  surface ; 
a  dark  green  belt  of  verdure  here  and  there,  marking  the 
ravines  and  water-courses,  and  groves  of  trees,  or  clumps,  or 
single  trees,  scattered  in  such  perfect  arrangement  over  the 
whole,  as  to  seem  as  though  some  eminent  artist  had  perfected 
the  work.  And  truly  so  he  did,  for  what  artist  can  compare 
with  the  God  who  formed  and  arranged  all  these  natural 
beauties  now  spread  before  us  ! 

The  view,  fully  realized  descriptions  of  the  parks  of  the 
English  nobility  and  gentry,  wanting  only  the  presence  of 


32  NOTES    TAKEN. 

animal  life.  Its  effect  upon  us  is  best  illustrated  by  the 
following  incident. 

Our  whole  command  stopped  involuntarily,  in  mute  admira- 
tion ;  at  last,  one  poor  fellow,  a  rough,  uncouth  specimen  of  an 
ox  driver  burst,  out,  "  Oh,  if  I  was  only  a  lawyer,  how  I  could 
talk  about  such  a  sight  as  this,  but  I  havn't  the  larnin  to  say 
what  I  want."  Now,  whether  there  is  anything  peculiar  in 
the  legal  profession,  which  gives  a  higher  zest  to  enjoyment 
of  the  beautiful  in  nature,  I  confess  I  do  not  know,  of  one 
thing  I  am  certain,  that  lawyer  or  doctor,  saint  or  sinner,  any 
man  who  could  gaze  upon  and  not  admire  a  scener  like  this, 
must  be  wanting  in  the  very  elements  of  the  division  between 
the  human  and  animal. 

As  every  pleasure  has  its  pain,  every  joy  its  sorrow,  our 
feelings  of  admiration  for  the  scenery,  were  soon  merged  into 
those  of  pity,  for  our  horses,  mules  and  oxen. 

The  great  drawback  to  pleasure,  at  this  season,  on  the 
prairie,  is  the  immense  number  of  insects.  Among  these,  is  a 
large,  greenish  brown  horse  fly,  the  most  inveterate  blood 
sucker  of  the  genus.  So  ravenous  are  they,  that,  after  settling 
down  to  their  bloody  work,  they  will  allow  themselves  to  be 
picked  up  in  the  fingers,  making  no  effort  to  escape.  At  every 
stroke  of  their  bills,  the  blood  flows  as  if  from  a  lancet,  and 
they  come  in  such  myriads,  that  I  have  seen  a  horse  bathed 
in  his  own  blood.  An  idea  prevails,  that  they  will  attack  a 
white  horse,  or  mule,  sooner  than  any  other  color,  but  this 
I  think  erroneous,  and  doubtless  arises  from  the  fact,  that  the 


MEETING.  33 

marks  of  blood,  are  more  visible  upon  the  white  hair,  also 
white  animals,  are  generally  thinner  skinned,  and  consequently 
more  sensitive. 

It  has  often  been  a  matter  of  reflection  to  me,  why  this 
torment  should  have  been  inflicted  upon  dumb  brutes.  My 
conclusion  is,  that  it  is  intended  for  man,  as  an  exercise  of  his 
humanity. 

As  we  passed  only  along  the  edge  of  the  prairie,  we  were 
soon  through  safely,  though  we  had  a  busy  time  fighting  the 
tormentors,  and  entering  a  shady  road,  had  proceeded  but  a 
short  distance  before  we  were  stopped  by  the  sudden 
announcement  of  five  of  our  teamsters,  that  they  would  go  no 
farther.  These  men,  living  a  precarious  but  indolent  life,  upon 
the  frontier  of  Arkansas,  had  joined  the  expedition  with 
very  romantic  ideas,  but  the  realities  and  discipline  of  camp 
life  had  cured  them,  and  go  any  farther  they  would  not ;  but 
leaving  us  upon  the  hill  side,  they  turned  their  faces  towards 
their  accustomed  lounging  places,  and  were  gone.  We  made 
out  to  work  along  a  few  miles,  by  all  turning  in  as  teamsters, 
and  reaching  a  large  farm,  occupied  by  an  old  Indian,  halted 
until  we  could  hire  more  help — a  change  which  we  often  after- 
wards congratulated  ourselves  upon. 

The  evening  set  in  with  a  violent  rain  storm  ;  so,  to  be  as 
comfortable  as  possible  during  our  detention,  we  took  posses- 
sion of  an  untenanted  house  on  the  premises,  and  building  a 
fire  in  the  hearth  (for  it  was  quite  cold),  we  spread  our  blan- 
kets upon  the  floor  and  resigned  ourselves  to  sleep,  after  a 


34  NOTES   TAKEN. 

very  good  meal  of  milk,  eggs,  chickens,  &c.,  which  we  pro- 
cured from  the  farm  house. 

Though  annoyed  at  this  unexpected  detention,  by  which  we 
lost  three  days'  travel,  we  were  enabled  during  our  stay  to 
observe  the  Indian  in  his  home,  and  to  form  our  own  opinions 
of  his  enterprize  and  moral  worth, — an  opportunity  I  had  long 
wished  for. 

At  an  Indian  house  we  passed  to-day,  I  observed  some  little 
negroes,  from  two  years  old  and  under.  They  were  naked,  and 
were  most  singular  and  unsightly  objects,  from  the  distortion 
and  protuberance  of  the  stomach  and  abdomen.  This  is 
attributable  to  their  being  fed  entirely  on  corn  bread,  causing 
enlargement  of  the  spleen  and  other  distresses.  On  speaking 
of  this  circumstance  to  the  owner,  he  said,  "  Well,  may  be  so 
dey  live,  may  be  not ;"  a  matter  of  indifference  to  him,  whose 
own  stomach  seemed  well  fed  and  healthy  enough,  but  upon 
whom  the  natural  consequences  of  cause  and  effect  made  no 
impression. 

June  7th,  8th  andOth. — Our  quondam  host  was  a  full-blooded 
Choctaw.  He  served  in  the  Creek  war  with  General  Jackson, 
and  like  all  of  his  tribe,  was  very  proud  of  the  fact  that  they 
have  always  been  allies  of  the  United  States.  His  wealth  in 
cattle  and  horses,  besides  money  (which  was  all  hoarded, 
never,  as  is  a  general  thing  with  Indians,  put  out  at  interest), 
was  said  to  be  over  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  yet  he 
was  living  not  only  in  a  filthy  but  most  uncomfortable  and 
disgusting  manner,  fond  of  nothing  but  gold  and  silver,  which 


OUR    HOST.  35 

when  we  paid  him  the  few  dollars  of  expense  incurred,  he 
clutched  with  all  the  gloating  of  a  miser,  and  shook  with 
tremulous  delight  as  he  told  them  one  by  one  into  his  greasy 
bag.  We  wanted  some  corn  fur  our  animals  during  our  stay, 
and  when  asked  for  it,  he  denied  having  any  to  spare  at  first. 
This  proved  to  be  a  "  ruse  "  to  raise  the  price,  for  as  the  mar- 
ket price  was  one  dollar  per  bushel,  so  soon  as  we  expressed 
our  willingness  to  give  one  dollar  and  a  half,  he  shrugged  his 
shoulders,  and  very  quietly  said,  "  Well,  as  blackberry  come 
soon — may  be  so — you  can  have  him,"  at  the  same  time  point- 
ing the  way  to  two  well  filled  cribs. 

»  The  use  of  these  berries  is  an  evidence  of  the  improvidence 
of  the  Indian,  as  T  am  told  a  large  number  depend  upon  them 
in  a  great  measure ;  in  fact,  I  heard  one  sturdy  chap  say, 
"  Well,  I  got  corn  till  blackberry  come,  then  may  be  so  corn 

be  d d ;"  and  in  conversation  with  our  host,  he  said  that 

the  corn  in  the  neighborhood  was  almost  entirely  consumed, 
and  the  present  season  promised  badly,  but  "  may  be  so  dey 
git  some  blackberry,  may  be  not."  This  was  said  with  an 
indifferent  shrug,  as  if  the  prospect  or  the  reality  of  starvation 
around  him  was  a  matter  of  no  consequence. 

Many  visitors  came  to  the  farm  during  our  stay.  All,  of 
course,  visited  our  quarters,  and  sat  or  stood  around  in  that 
quiet  manner  peculiar  to  the  Indian,  and  which,  I  think,  con- 
ceals a  great  deal  of  curiosity,  of  which  they  are  supposed  to 
be  guiltless.  One,  a  fine  looking  youth,  gaily  dressed  and 
painted,  with  his  hair  cut  "  a  la  roundhead,"  had  a  good  deal 


30  NOTES   TAKEN. 

to  say,  in  his  broken  way.  I  asked  him  his  name ;  he  said 
"  George."  "  Well,  George  what?"  I  asked.  "  Why,  George, 
may  be  so  George  be  good  name  'nough  ;"  and  this  was  all  the 
satisfaction  I  got  for  iny  inquiry. 

Some  of  the  visitors  got  up  a  dance  one  evening.  There 
were  six  dancers — three  squaws  and  three  men.  The  music 
was  a  droning  discordance  of  sounds,  drawn  from  an  old 
cracked  fiddle  by  the  husband  of  one  of  the  squaws,  and  the 
dance  consisted  in  a  monotonous  bobbing  up  and  down,  like  a 
bear  on  a  hot  plate,  accompanied  by  yells,  which  grew  louder 
as  the  night  waxed  older,  and  the  whiskey  began  to  take 
effect,  so  that  long  after  we  had  retired  to  our  blankets,  we 
were  roused  when  a  louder  yell  than  usual  pealed  out,  or  a 
heavier  stamping  announced  that  the  orgie  was  becoming 
more  fast  and  furious. 

We  met  with,  and  in  use,  at  this  place,  some  vessels  of  the 
same  material  and  ancient  shape,  as  the  one  I  had  previously 
dug  up  at  the  deserted  Council  House.  Our  host  told  us 
they  were  made  of  an  admixture  of  clay  and  pounded  muscle 
shells,  but  the  art  of  making  them  was  lost.  They  will  stand 
the  fire  and  would  answer  for  crucibles  as  well  as  cooking 
pots. 

It  rained  heavily  at  intervals  during  our  stay,  and  one 
evening,  during  a  heavy  shower,  I  went  to  the  door  of  our 
quarters  and  observed  a  large  fire  burning  near  some  out- 
buildings. On  inquiry,!  learned  it  was  the  old  man's  bivouac. 
Being  curious  to  investigate  the  matter  further,  we  went  over, 


BRANDING    COLTS.  87 

despite  theraiu,  and  found  this  old  creature,  seventy  years  old, 
and  suffering  with  the  liver  complaint,  stretched  near  the  fire, 
upon  a  bundle  of  skins  and  old  blankets,  with  no  shelter  but 
the  overhanging  eaves.  It  had  been  his  habit  from  infancy  to 
sleep  in  the  open  air,  and  he  said  he  could  not  sleep  in  a  house. 
The  doctor  offered  him  medical  aid  for  his  complaint,  but  he 
declined,  being  either  too  stingy  or  too  superstitious  to  avail 
himself  of  it.  He  said,  "No,  no — our  man  he  do  dat — he 
good  'nough ;"  meaning  their  medicine  man,  to  whom  they 
still  adhere. 

One  morning  we  heard  a  great  commotion  in  the  stock  yard, 
and  going  over,  found  that  some  young  colts  were  to  be  branded. 
We  witnessed  the  process  done  in  true  Indian  style,  the  ani- 
mal being  first  lassoed  and  choked  until  powerless,  then 
thrown,  the  branding  iron  applied,  and  an  inch  of  the  tail  cut 
off,  to  make'  it  lighter  and  more  under  control  of  the  colt  to 
brush  off  insects.  It  is  then  liberated,  frightened  half  to 
death,  and,  I  have  no  doubt,  injured  by  the  brutal  manner  iu 
which  it  has  been  handled. 

They  pursued  this  process  of  branding  with  all  their  stock 
except  their  hogs.  The  hogs  roamed  in  the  woods,  and  lived 
on  Mast,*  or  starved  to  death  if  that  failed  ;  no  care  was 
taken  to  improve  the  breed,  and  those  met  with,  were  a  long- 
nosed,  long-legged,  slab-sided  species,  black  in  color,  and 
evidently  descendants  of  the  wild  hog,  or  peccary.  This  old 
man  had  about  one  thousand  head  in  his  range,  and  seemed 

*  Mast  is  the  nut  of  the  oak  and  beach  trees. 


38  NOTES   TAKEN. 

to  think  he  would  be  able  to  save  enough  to  last  him  in  his 
family,  as  hog  and  hominy  was  their  only  diet. 

Of  cattle  and  horses,  the  old  man  had  a  large  herd,  in  fact, 
he  told  me  he  did  not  know  the  number,  but  "  sometime  de 
boy  he  count  'em."  The  calves  were  all  kept  in  an  enclosure, 
and  thus  the  cows  were  induced  to  return  from  pasture,  when 
enough  milk  was  taken  for  butter,  &c.,  the  rest  allowed  to  the 
calves.  I  could  not  help  but  think  what  a  handsome  account 
one  of  our  New  England  fanners  would  turn  such  a  dairy  to. 

An  incident  occurred  during  the  branding,  which  affected 
me  very  much,  and  which  I  will  now  relate  : 

When  all  the  large  colts  had  been  branded,  a  beautiful 
milk-white  filly,  four  years  old,  with  a  colt  six  weeks  old,  at 
her  foot,  was  driven  up.  At  first  she  made  every  effort  to 
escape,  guarding  the  colt  at  the  same  time,  but  soon  the  colt 
was  lassoed  and  thrown,  instantly,  she  stopped,  and  standing 
the  very  picture  of  agony,  with  glaring  eyeballs  and  distended 
nostrils,  trembling  in  every  limb  and  muscle  of  her  frame,  and 
the  sweat  running  off  her  in  a  stream,  uttering  all  the  time  a 
low,  whining  moan,  presented  a  picture  of  distress,  which,  in 
a  dumb  brute,  was  as  affecting  as  it  was  extraordinary.  As 
soon  as  the  colt  was  liberated,  she  sprang  forward,  and 
caressing  it  with  all  the  affection  of  a  mother,  bounded  off 
into  the  woods,  taking  care  to  keep  it  in  front  and  in  sight  of 
her;  truly,  thought  I,  if  any  thing  could  create  a  belief  in 
Metempsychosis,  it  would  be  sights  like  this. 

Most  of  Ilio  ChoctttWR  hold   slaves,  but  my  observations, 


LITTLE   NEGRO.  6\) 

both  here  and  elsewhere,  have  convinced  me  that  the  general 
government  would  subserve  the  cause  of  humanity  by  pro- 
hibiting any  Indians  from  holding  them ;  they  look  upon  them 
as  mere  beasts  of  burden,  and  treat  them  accordingly. 

At  this  place  there  were  two  slaves  ;  one  an  old  woman  of 
seventy  years  of  age,  and  lame  with  inflammatory  rheumatism, 
the  other  a  child  of  eight  years  old,  who  were  compelled  to  do 
all  the  hard  work  about  the  farm.  "We  saw  the  old  woman 
sent  out  to  catch  and  saddle  a  horse,  and  the  boy,  with  no 
clothing  on  but  a  coarse,  ragged,  filthy  tow  shirt,  chopping 
logs  of  wood,  and  then  shouldering  and  carrying  into  the 
house,  a  log  larger  than  himself. 

Our  sympathies  were  very  much  excited,  and  on  remonstra- 
ting with  the  old  man,  and  telling  him  that  the  boy  would 
be  strained  and  injured  for  sale,  he  merely  shrugged  his 
shoulders,  and  replied,  "He  strong  'nough,  me  work  hard 
when  me  boy,  me  seventy  year  old,  me  strong  yet." 

One  of  the  party  gave  the  little  fellow  an  old  shirt,  which 
he  donned  immediately,  half  wild  with  delight,  and  strutted 
off  to  show  his  prize,  but  he  soon  came  back  in  tears,  with 
the  shirt  hanging  in  ribbons  about  him,  his  unusual  appear- 
ance having  excited  the  anger  of  the  big  bull  of  the  herd,  and 
in  making  his  escape,  he  lost  the  most  of  his  finery  in  the 
bushes. 

Another  of  our  party  offered  to  buy  the  boy,  but  the 
avaricious  old  wretch,  immediately  put  up  his  price  beyond 
his  means,  and  upon  being  told  that  his  price  was  unreason- 


40  NOTES  TAKEN. 

able,  merely  replied,  "  He  good  boy,  may  be  so,  somebody 
give  it  for  him,  may  be  not." 

Instances  might  be  multiplied  of  great  barbarities  prac- 
tised ;  one,  is  that  of  an  Indian  in  this  nation,  standing  and 
enjoying  the  pastime  of  his  half-grown  boy,  which  consisted 
in  practising  with  bow  and  arrows,  at  a  negro  boy,  as  a 
target.  Another,  ordered  a  slave  to  shoot  a  man  against 
whom  he  had  a  grievance,  and  upon  refusal,  whipped  the 
slave  to  death.  These  are  not  isolated  cases,  but  good 
specimens  of  their  ^estimation  of,  and  general  treatment  of 
slaves,  and  would  seem  to  prove  conclusively,  that  the  Indian 
needs  a  master,  as  much,  if  not  more,  than  the  slave. 

June  10th. — Having  succeeded  in  filling  the  places  of  our 
shameless  deserters,  we  left  the  old  man  and  his  ill-enjoyed 
wealth,  at  an  early  hour  this  morning,  and  commenced  the 
ascent  of  a  steep,  stony  hill,  on  the  opposite  side  of  which 
slopes  a  prairie,  extending  down  to  Games'  creek. 

Just  before  we  left,  an  incident  occurred,  showing  the 
inherent  laziness  of  the  Indian.  A  stout,  able-bodied  man, 
equipped  for  hunting,  and  riding  a  beautiful  white  pony, 
came  by,  and  stopped,  in  that  peculiar  quiet  manner  I  have 
before  remarked  upon. 

One  of  our  party,  pleased  with  the  pony,  asked  the  price. 
He  raised  his  hands  three  times,  with  all  the  fingers  extended, 
as  much  as  to  say,  thirty  dollars ;  immediately  the  money 
was  counted  down,  but  he  then  declined  selling  his  pony, 
saying,  it  was  too  far  for  him  to  walk  home.  "  How  far  ?"  was 


QUIET   CAMP.  41 

the  question.  "  Five  mile,"  was  his  reply.  Forty  dollars 
were  then  offered,  but  still,  though  it  staggered  him  a  good 
deal,  he  persisted  in  declining,  as  rather  than  walk  five  miles, 
he  would  forego  the  opportunity  of  selling  his  pony  at  so 
greatly  an  increased  rate. 

On  reaching  the  creek,  we  found  it  too  high  to  ford,  and  so 
encamped  in  a  beautiful  grove  on  the  slope  of  the  prairie,  and 
a  beautiful  quiet  evening  we  had,  when  the  first  clear  moon 
for  some  nights,  rose  to  hallow  the  peaceful  scene  below,  the 
white  tents,  and  the  white  covers  of  the  wagons,  peeping  out 
from  among  the  trees,  the  camp  fires  blazing,  and  the  cattle 
feeding  upon  the  green  sward  around  us.  We  felt  the 
soothing  influence  of  the  scene,  after  the  rough  times  of  the 
past  week,  and  retired  to  our  grassy  couches  with  calmer 
thoughts  for  the  morrow. 


42  SNAKES. 


CHAPTER  III. 

GAINES*    CREEK   TO   FORT    WASHITA. 

Horse  bitten  by  a  snake. — Prairie  flowers. — Oats  met  with. — White  men  married 
to  squaws. — Law  upon  the  subject. — Fossils  found. — Coal  abundant. — Soil, 
limestone. — Army  worm. — Severe  storm. — Emigrants  met  with. — Arrive  at  the 
Boggy.— Choctaw  swamp.— Wild  cattle.— Train  stopped.— Start  for  the  fort.— 
Flies  troublesome.— Cross  the  Blue.— Arrive  at  Washita. 

JUNE  llth. — We  found  this  morning,  that  the  best  horse 
we  had — a  noble  sorrel — had  been  struck  by  a  snake  in  the 
night,  and  could  go  no  farther.  The  muscles  of  his  throat 
and  fore-quarters,  were  so  swollen  that  he  could  not  raise  his 
head  from  the  ground,  so,  reluctantly,  we  left  him  in  charge 
of  a  Choctaw,  living  in  the  vicinity,  with  directions  to  bring 
him  in  to  Fort  Washita  when  he  recovered.  The  doctor  bled 
him  very  freely  in  the  mouth,  and  we  made  a  muslin  cover  to 
screen  him  from  the  flies,  and  so  left  him  to  his  fate. 

Instances  of  this  kind  are  very  frequent  in  this  section  of 
country.  The  reptile  is  a  small  mottled  snake,  called  Ground 
Rattlesnake.  This  is  a  misnomer,  as  it  has  no  rattles,  and 
strikes  without  warning.  It  is  a  species  of  the  Copperhead, 
its  bite  very  venomous,  and  generally  attended  with  fatal 
results. 

At  ten  A.  M.,  (the  water  having  subsided  to  a  fordable 
depth,)  we  crossed  Games'  Creek,  and  passing  through  several 


CHOCTAW    LAW.  43 

beautiful  prairies,  rich  in  pasture,  and  covered  with  those 
beautiful  flowers  which  always  delighted  us  so  much,  (and 

through  which  we  always  roamed,  making  our  selections,)  and 
• 
which  we  always  parted  from  with  regret,  we  came  to  a  much 

more  cultivated  region.  What  first  attracted  our  attention 
was  a  field  of  oats,  a  grain  we  had  hitherto  not  met  with,  as 
the  Indians  raise  nothing  but  corn.  "  Aha,"  said  I,  the  "white 
man  has  had  a  hand  in  this,"  and  so  it  proved  to  be  the  case. 
Several  settlers  from  the  States,  who  have  married  squaws, 
live  here,  the  fact  evidenced  by  the  greater  quantity  of  land 
cultivated,  greater  variety  in  ,the  crops,  the  growth  of 
vegetables,  greater  neatness  about  their  buildings,  and  a 
general  appearance  of  industry  and  thrift. 

According  to  Choctaw  law,  no  white  man  can  marry  until 
he  has  resided  two  years  in  the  nation.  He  can  then  marry 
one  of  the  tribe,  and  can  fence  in  and  cultivate  as  much  as  he 
pleases.  There  are  many  instances  in  the  nation,  and  where- 
ever  met  with,  the  difference  from  the  native  is  very  per- 
ceptible and  striking. 

Having  learned,  by  the  experience  of  the  past,  the  phle- 
botomizing powers  of  the  prairie-fly,  we  stopped  at  the  first 
convenient  place,  and  spent  the  rest  of  the  day  in  making  up 
muslin  covers  for^our  horses  and  mules,  and  during  the  day 
made  some  very  interesting  explorations  and  discoveries 
among  the  fossiliferous  strata  in  the  vicinity. 

The  soil  is  limestone,  marked  by  the  pellucid  water  and 
luxuriant  vegetation.  It  yields,  in  ordinary  seasons,  forty 


44  NOTES    TAKEN. 

bushels  of  grain  to  the  acre  ;  this  season  being  unprecedently 
wet,  the  prospects  were  not  so  good. 

Coal  is  found  here  in  abundance,  very  bituminous,  but  used 
only  by  the  few  blacksmiths  who  live  along  the  road. 

A  curious  spectacle  presented  itself  this  morning,  on  our 
road.  The  whole  surface  of  the  ground,  for  more  than  a  mile, 
was  covered  with  the  army  worm,  passing  from  one  scene  of 
devastation  to  another.  They  are  about  three  inches  long, 
white  in  colour,  and  lozenge  shaped,  travel  slowly,  but  are  a 
great  scourge  to  the  farmer,  destroying — when  they  come  in 
such  hosts — in  a  night  the  labours  of  the  season.  Nothing 
but  fire,  I  understand,  has  been  able  to  check  their  ravages, 
and  it  is  said  that  by  burning  off  a  narrow  strip  around  a  crop, 
it  can  be  saved,  as  they  will  not  cross  burnt  ground.  My  own 
impressions  are,  that  as  the  larvae  are  deposited  by  the  insect 
after  passing  the  chrysalis  state,  no  means  will  be  effectual, 
except  they  can  be  destroyed  in  the  egg.  This  farmers  North 
and  East  do,  in  case  of  the  cutworm,  by  ploughing  their  laud 
and  subjecting  it  to  the  action  of  the  weather. 

June  12th. — At  daylight  we  were  on  the  road,  and  com- 
menced passing  through  a  more  broken,  but  still  well  culti- 
vated and  flourishing  country,  as  there  is  quite  a  settlement — 
if  distances  of  from  ten  to  fifteen  miles  can.be  called  a  settle- 
ment— of  white  men  with  squaw  wives.  An  old  Indian  of 
some  note  also  lived  on  this  road.  He  was  rich  in  cattle  and 
horses,  but,  like  his  fellows,  cultivated  the  soil  to  a  very 
limited  extent.  "We  stopped  for  the  night  near  a  place  where, 


THE   BOGGY.  45 

on  the  twenty-eighth  of  May,  a  remarkable  storm  raged, 
destroying  the  crops  and  beating  down  timber. 

Passing  unobstructedly  over  so  wide  an  extent,  storms 
acquire  terrific  violence  in  this  country,  and  leave  indelible 
marks  of  their  ravages. 

One  of  the  settlers,  an  intelligent  white  man,  had  sixty  acres 
of  oats  destroyed,  and  told  us  that  hail  was  thick  enough,  in 
some  places,  to  be  shovelled  up.  He  said  he  measured  some 
of  the  stones,  and  one  was  eight  inches  long  and  five  in  cir- 
cumference, a  fact  which  I  believe,  as  I  saw  limbs  of  trees  and 
their  trunks  skinned  and  battered  as  if  by  a  discharge  of  grape 
shot.  We  procured  here  a  fine  hound  to  assist  us  in  our 
catering  when  we  got  on  the  plains. 

June  13th. — Our  march  to-day  led  us  through  an  extensive 
prairie — covered  as  usual  with  a  beautiful  variety  of  flowers — 
where  we  found  encamped  a  large  party  of  emigrants,  waiting 
for  the  subsidence  of  the  waters  of  the  Boggy,  a  stream  more 
aptly  named  than  pleasant  to  the  traveller.  They  told  us  we 
could  not  cross,  but  we  determined  to  make  the  attempt. 

This  stream  ran  through  a  bottom,  which,  in  time  of  high 
freshet,  was  entirely  submerged,  leaving,  as  the  water  receded, 
a  road  which,  though  called  bottom,  seemed  -to  have  that 
necessary  ingredient  in  a  passable  road  entirely  fallen  out,  or 
at  least  to  require  the  race  of  men  and  animals  found  by  that 
veracious  traveller,  Lemuel  Gulliver,  in  the  interesting  country 
of  Brobdignag,  to  find  firm  footing  for  travel. 

A  black,  mucky  deposit  spread  in  width  for  two  miles,  and 


46  NOTES    TAKEN. 

our  hapless  party  went  floundering  and  plunging  on,  some- 
times brought  to  a  dead  stand,  anon  sinking  to  the  saddle 
girths,  then  plunging  into  a  slough  and  wondering  what  was 
to  come  next,  until  bedaubed  and  bespattered,  breathless  and 
half  suffocated,  we  emerged  upon  the  banks  of  the  stream,  and 
cast  an  involuntary  glance  backwards  to  see  whether  we  had 

* 

not  left  part  of  ourselves  or  our  horses  behind  us. 

With  the  loss  of  several  horse  and  mule  shoes,  and  the 
breaking  of  a  swingle  tree  in  the  ambulance,  we  got  through, 
and  arriving  on  the  banks  of  the  stream  found  it  too  high  to 
cross  with  our  wagons,  and  so  set  about  to  repair  damages. 

In  course  of  the  afternoon,  we  attempted  to  cross  our  horses 
over  by  swimming  them,  but  on  account  of  the  bad  landing  on 
the  opposite  shore,  were  obliged  to  desist. 

Having  crossed  myself,  in  a  dug-out,*  in  anticipation  of  my 
horse,  I  came  near  having  an  unpleasant  adventure,  viz.,  a 
night  alone  in  a  Choctaw  swamp. 

Finding  no  likelihood  of  getting  my  horse,  I  started  on  foot 
for  Boggy  Depot — a  collection  of  dwellings  and  stores  about 
a  mile  from  the  stream — as  the  most  comfortable  place  to 
spend  the  night. 

Indian-like,  my  guide  gave  me  a  direction,  which,  so  far 
from  being  direct,  only  made  confusion  worse  confounded. 

*A  "dug-out"  is  a  canoe  made  out  of  a  solid  log,  the  heart  dug  out  with  a 
hatchet  or  adze,  hence  its  name.  The  more  primitive  way  of  making  them  was 
to  burn  them  out,  though  there  is  no  authority  for  saying  that  in  consequence 
these  were  culled  "  burnt-outs." 


DIAMONDS.  47 

The  freshet  had  obliterated  all  marks  of  the  road;  but  judg- 
ing, I  suppose,  my  instincts  by  his  own,  he  pointed  to  a  gap  in 
the  thicket,  under  a  huge  cottonwood,  and  grunting  out,  "  You 
not  miss  him,"  left  me  to  the  tender  mercies  of  gnats,  mos- 
quitoes, snakes,  "  et  genus  omne,"  which  are  only  to  be  found 
in  such  a  delectable  place  as  Boggy  Bottom. 

I  floundered  on,  every  moment  expecting  to  reach  the  wel- 
come haven,  but  every  step  made  it  worse,  until  just  as  I  was 
about  to  give  up  in  despair,  I  heard  the  roar  of  a  mill-dam, 
and  hurrying  on,  found  that  I  had  boxed  the  compass  and 
come  round  to  the  place  I  started  from.  I  was  glad  to  re- 
cross  the  stream  and  take  up  my  quarters  with  the  miller, 
where  I  found  a  blanket  and  a  soft  puncliin  to  solace  me  after 
my  unromantic  ramble. 

My  host  was  quite  wild  upon  the  subject  of  a  diamond  mine 
he  had  found  upon  his  premises  ;  so  after  supper  he  produced 
his  specimens,  consisting  of  small  quartz  crystals  imbedded  in 
the  harder  rock,  one  of  which  he  had  extracted  and  fitted  to 
a  stick,  to  show  how  well  it  would  cut  glass ;  useless  to  him 
even  for  this,  as  glass  for  windows  is  unknown  in  this  country. 
He  looked  blank  when  I  told  him  the  value  of  his  prize,  but 
to  console  him,  I  told  him  I  would  take  some  of  the  best 
specimens  and  have  them  well  tested,  giving  him  all  the 
advantage  that  might  result  therefrom.  I  left  him  to  his  dia- 
mond dreams,  and  if  there  is  pleasure  in  anticipation,  I  have 
no  doubt  this  man  thoroughly  enjoys  it. 


48  NOTES   TAKEN. 

June  14th. — The  banks  of  the  stream  presented  a  wild  and 
picturesque  scene  this  morning. 

A  high,  steep  bluff,  on  the  opposite  shore,  was  lined  with 
over  a  thousand  head  of  wild  cattle,  about  to  be  driven  across, 
on  their  way  to  Missouri  and  Illinois. 

These  cattle  are  herded  on  the  vast  plains  of  Texas,  until 
about  three  or  four  years  old  ;  they  are  then  sold  to  men  who 
follow  the  business,  at  from  fifteen  to  eighteen  dollars  per 
head,  driven  to  the  prairies  in  the  North-West,  and  there 
fattened  for  the  Eastern  market.  They  are  very  beautiful  to 
look  at,  symmetrical  in  figure,  with  sinewy  limbs,  and  very 
long,  sharp-pointed  horns. 

Quite  wild,  the  business  of  driving  them  is  an  arduous  and 
a  dangerous  one.  They  go  quietly  enough  until  something 
occurs  to  excite  or  frighten  them,  when  a  stampede  will 
occur,  and  woe  betide  the  hapless  wight  who  becomes 
involved  in  it ;  they  become  frantic,  and  bear  down  and  crush 
every  thing  that  stands  in  the  way  in  their  furious  career. 

The  men  who  drive  them,  are  a  rough  set,  hardy  and 
splendidly  bold  riders.  I  saw  one  catch  his  hat  from  the 
ground,  when  at  full  gallop,  a  feat  which  requires  not  only 
practice,  but  great  muscle  and  dexterity.  They  ride  a  small 
horse,  bred  in  Mexico,  thick  set  and  of  great  power  of 
endurance. 

The  stock-whip  they  use,  is  a  most  formidable  weapon  ; 
upon  a  short  handle,  about  eighteen  inches  long,  they  fasten 
a  plaited  lash,  from  fifteen  to  eighteen  feet  in  length,  about 


EMIGRANTS.  49 

an  inch  thick  at  the  thickest  part,  tapering  down  to  a  very 
long  thin  end.  Long  practice  enables  them  to  throw  this  out, 
from  its  trail  on  the  ground,  with  great  accuracy  and 
tremendous  effect,  cutting  like  a  long  flexible  razor,  and  with 
a  report  like  a  pistol,  drawing  the  blood  at  every  blow. 

It  was  an  exciting  sight,  to  see  the  herd  plunge  off  the 
high  bank — about  fifteen  feet  perpendicular  hight — and  swim 
across,  nothing  appearing  above  water,  but  their  taper  heads 
and  long  thin  horns.  The  emigrants  we  had  passed  upon  the 
prairie  had  also  come  down,  determined  to  cross  at  all  hazards. 
They  had  exhausted  all  their  provisions,  and  were  too 
impatient  to  wait  until  the  stream  was  fordable.  There  were 
about  four  hundred  of  them,  men,  women,  and  children,  and 
the  scene  of  confusion,  and  damage  to  property,  beggars  all 
description.  Their  goods  were  saturated  with  water,  the 
whole  party  wetted  to  the  skin ;  and  in  one  instance  a  wagon 
sank  entirely  out  of  sight,  and  was  only  recovered  by  dint  of 
diving  and  fastening  ropes  to  it,  when,  with  the  assistance  of 
several  yokes  of  oxen,  it  was  drawn  ashore  again. 

Poor  Richard  says,  "  Two  removes  is  as  bad  as  a  fire."  I 
doubt  whether  the  crossing  of  the  Boggy  was  not  a  complete 

conflagration  to  these  movers. 

g»~ 

Emigration  is  very  rapidly  flowing  into  Texas,  and  of  a  class 
calculated  materially  to  advance  her  interests.  We  con- 
versed very  freely  with  this  party,  and  found  them,  both  in 
outfit  and  conversation,  a  superior  stock.  They  were  all 

Irom  Missouri,  and  had  plenty  of  ready  money. 

5* 


50  NOTES   TAKEN. 

Their  reason  for  emigrating  was  the  cold  and  inhospitable 
climate  of  Missouri.  One  man  told  me  that  it  was  necessary 
to  fodder  cattle  seven  months  in  the  year  ;  a  great  difference 
to  Texas,  where  cattle  range  in  the  pasture  winter  and 
summer,  always  fat  and  in  good  condition. 

They  all  seemed  to  feel  that  the  change  they  were  making 
was  a  hazardous  one,  and  indeed,  when  the  difference  in 
prices,  the  increased  distance  from  market,  and  the  risks  run 
in  acclimating,  are  taken  into  account,  they  might  well  think 
so ;  and  I  am  satisfied,  from  what  I  saw  and  heard,  that  many 
a  heartfelt  regret  was  uttered  for  the  home  and  comforts  they 
had  left. 

My  experience  here  and  elsewhere,  will  always  prompt  me 
to  give  but  one  advice  to  persons  disposed  to  emigrate,  viz. : 
if  you  are  comfortably  off  where  you  are,  better  stay,  the 
contingencies  are  too  great  to  warrant  a  change. 

When  Texas  shall  have  completed  a  system  of  internal 
improvements,  of  course  the  objection  of  distance  from  market 
will  not  lie,  and  perhaps,  as  a  stroke  for  posterity,  these 
people  were  making  a  judicious  move,  but  still,  "  let  well 
enough  alone,"  is  a  most  excellent  domestic  motto. 

Our  heavy  train,  of  course,  could  not  pass  the  Boggy,  and 
as  it  was  the  Captain's  intention  to  stop,  for  a  few  days  at  all 
events,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Fort  Washita,  until  he  could 
procure  some  more  stock,  let  those  we  had  rest,  and  await  the 
arrival  of  our  military  escort  from  Fort  Arbuckle  ;  we  left 
our  oxen  and  wagons  on  the  prairie,  and  one  of  the  party  and 


FLY    TIME.  51 

myself,  swam  our  horses  and  mules  across,  and  started  for 
Fort  Washita  (twenty-five  miles  distant),  leading  our  spare 
horses,  to  procure  for  them  good  forage  and  attendance  for  a 
few  days,  previous  to  entering  upon  our  long  journey  across 
the  plains. 

Did  the  reader  ever  undertake  to  lead  a  refractory  horse, 
across  an  open  country,  in  fly-time,  with  the  thermometer  at 
ninety-eight  in  the  shade.  If  he  did,  he  can  fully  sympathize 
with  us,  if  he  did  not,  he  cannot  feel  a  tithe  of  the  excru- 
ciating torture  of  the  operation. 

The  green  flies — our  quondam  torturers — again  made  their 
appearance,  and  this  time — it  seemed  to  me — more  famished 
than  ever.  Our  led  horses,  rendered  half  frantic,  would  dart 
first  on  one  side  of  us,  then  on  the  Other,  sometimes  come 
charging  up  to  rub  themselves  against  the  ridden  horse,  who, 
rendered  steadier  by  the  rein,  was  of  friendly  assistance  for 
this  purpose — then  again,  rolling  upon  the  ground  and 
jerking  back,  or  pulling  forward,  until  our  arms  were  nearly 
dislocated,  such  is  a  faint  picture  of  our  situation,  under 
circumstances. 

Arrived  on  the  banks  of  the  Blue.  (The  streams  all  have 
appropriate  names  in  this  country,  as  for  instance,  the  Boggy, 
whose  peculiarities  I  have  described;  the  Brushy,  whose 
banks  are  tangled  almost  impassably,  with  briars  and  bram- 
bles, and  the  Blue,  whose  waters  are  a  deep  blue,  from 
running  over  a  bed  of  soft  blue  limestone  and  clay).  My 


52  NOTES    TAKEN. 

companion  plead  his  inability  to  swim,  as  a  reason  for  not 
taking  the  lead  in  crossing,  so  I  was  obliged  to  precede. 

All  would  have  gone  well,  had  not  my  horse  commenced 
floundering  the  moment  his  feet  touched  the  soft  clay  at  the 
bottom.  In  we  went  up  to  the  neck,  and  whilst  struggling 
to  keep  heads  above  water,  what  should  I  hear  but  a  stanza 
of  the  Blue  Moselle,  quietly  hummed  by  the  imperturbable 
individual  on  the  bank.  With  a  hearty  expletive,  denouncing 
all  sentiment,  and  particularly  at  such  a  time,  I  was  fain  to 
leave  him  to  his  fate,  but  philanthropy,  getting  the  better  of 
temper,  I  re-crossed  and  piloted  the  way  to  the  "  terra  firma" 
of  the  most  beautiful  prairie  we  had  yet  crossed, — the  prairie, 
upon  the  outer  edge  of  which  stands  Fort  Washita,  where  we 
arrived  at  sundown,  sore,  sunburnt  and  fatigued,  to  experi- 
ence all  the  comfort  and  pleasure,  which  unaffected  and 
disinterested  hospitality  could  offer  and  accomplish. 


DESCRIPTIONS.  53 


CHAPTEE  IY. 

STAY   AT  FORT   WASHITA. 

Description  of  the  Post. — Pleasant  stay  among  our  friends. — Fossiliferous  Re- 
mains.—Prairie,  ancient  bed  of  the  ocean.— Prairie  Flowers —Timber  through 
the  country. — Indians  met  with. — Soil  of  the  ChoctaW  and  Chickasaw  Reserves. 
Remarks  upon  the  Natives.— Territorial  Bill.— Captain  leaves  on  22d  with 
part  of  the  Train. 

JUNE  15th  to  29th. — This  post,  established  about  twelve 
years  since,  was  garrisoned  by  one  company  of  the  seventh 
infantry,  commanded  by  Major  Holmes,  and  one  company 
of  the  fourth  artillery,  commanded  by  Major  Hunt ;  Major 
Holmes  commanding  the  post.  Plain,  but  comfortable 
quarters,  stand  upon  the  brow  of  a  hill,  commanding  a  fine 
view  of  the  plain.  For  ten  miles,  this  rich,  green  velvet 
carpet  is  spread  out,  spangled  with  flowers  of  every  hue, 
and  interspersed  with  groves  of  timber.  A  little  babbling 
brook  meanders  through  the  green  sward  at  the  foot  of  the 
hill,  the  whole  forming  a  scene  of  picturesque  beauty,  com- 
pensating in  some  measure  for  the  isolation  from  society 
and  the  daily  peril  concomitant  to  a  frontier  life. 

We  enjoyed  the  hospitalities  of  our  friend,  S.  HUMES, 
whose  heart  is  as  open  as  the  prairie  around  him,  and  our 
time  passed  pleasantly  and  quickly,  roaming  through  the 
prairie  and  exploring  the  palaeontological  remains  in  the 


54  NOTES   TAKEN. 

vicinity,  amongst  which  the  indefatigable  doctor  fairly  revelled. 
Our  friends  got  up  many  little  social  soirees  for  us  and  we 
were  also  enlivened  by  a  wedding.  One  of  the  fair  garrison 
belles,  leaving  parents  and  friends,  cast  in  her  lot  with  a 
young  subaltern  of  infantry,  who,  after  a  four  years'  absence 
upon  the  frontier,  returned  to  the  States  a  Benedict ;  long 
may  he  and  his  fair  bride  enjoy  the  sweets  of  the  faith 
pledged  beneath  the  harvest  moon,  in  the  midst  of  Nature's 
choicest  beauties. 

Poorly  paid,  and  worse  equipped,  the  soldiers  of  our  repub- 
lic never  can  receive  too  high  a  mete  of  praise  for  the  choice 
that  decided  and  the  energy  which  marks  their  profession. 

Isolated  from  home  and  the  world,  they  carry  with  them 
into  these  solitudes,  refinements  the  result  of  well  trained 
habits  and  education,  and  moving  in  a  sphere,  hallowed  by 
feminine  grace,  beauty,  and  accomplishments,  reality  becomes 
romance,  though  the  rose  is  well  armed  with  thorns. 

The  country  around  Fort  Washita  bears  unmistakeable 
evidences  that,  at  a  remote  period,  old  ocean's  surges  rolled 
in  all  their  might  and  majesty  over  these  vast  plains. 

Hitherto,  the  idea  that  they  were  once  the  ancient  bed  of 
the  ocean,  appeared  to  me  to  be  a  very  plausible  theory,  but, 
"  experientia  docet,"  no  fact  can  be  more  fully  established. 

Our  explorations  developed  every  water-course,  hill  side  and 
ravine  to  be  filled  with  fossiliferous  remains.    The  indefati- 
gable doctor  was  busy  from  early  dawn  to  dewy  eve  with  ham 
mer  and  specimen  bag,  and  his  cabinet  now  contains  fossil  sea 


PRAIRIE    AVONDERS.  55 

eggs,  fossil  oysters,  scollops,  clams,  and  other  marine  shells, 
whilst  in  the  soft  limestone  we  found  the  ammonite  and  the 
nautilus  (extinct  marine  Crustacea),  some  of  the  former  as 
large  as  a  cart-wheel. 

A  suggestion  has  been  made,  that  the  days  of  Noah  and 
the  Flood  will  explain  these  deposits,  but  the  depth  of  the 
strata  and  the  size  of  the  specimens  found,  prove  revolving 
years  of  submersion  and  procreation.  Some  of  the  strata 
were  fifty  feet  perpendicular,  with  numerous  specimens  thickly 
embedded  from  bottom  to  top. 

"What  food  for  thought !  Over  a  spot,  now  redolent  with 
the  perfume,  and  gay  with  the  hues  of  sweet  flowers,  and  teem- 
ing with  insect  and  animal  life,  once  rolled  the  mighty  wave, 
sported  the  monsters  of  the  deep,  and  roared  the  tempest  in 
its  irresistible  might ! 

How  ancient,  then,  must  be  this  universal  system — how  far 
exceeding  all  the  bounds  set  to  it ;  its  history  is  as  unfathom- 
able as  that  of  the  Being  who  formed,  and  now  guides  and 
directs  it !  Truly,  at  sight  of  nature's  wonders,  man  sinks  into 
puny  insignificance. 

I  have  frequently  alluded  to  the  beauty  and  variety  of 
the  prairie  flowers.  It  is  a  rich  treat  to  roam  amongst 
them.  Throughout  our  march  we  found  in  profusion 
flowers  which,  in  the  North  and  East,  tire  cultivated  with 
great  care  as  ornaments  for  the  drawing-room  or  conservatory. 
The  Texas  plume — a  gorgeous  flower  of  a  brilliant  scarlet — 
the  red  and  white  rose,  the  prairie  pink,  the  verbena,  the 


56  NOTES    TAKEN 

inarygold  of  many  varieties,  the  convolvulus,  the  ranunculus, 
the  sensitive  and  other  liguminous  plants,  the  flag,  the  sun- 
flower and  the  wild  pea — all  luxuriant  in  growth  and  brilliant 
in  colour — all  bloom  here  together,  and  though  "  wasting  their 
sweetness  upon  the  desert  air,"  still,  as  the  occasional  tourists 
wander  among  them,  they  stand  the  fragrant  evidence  of 
creative  power,  hallowing  the  scene  and  raising  the  thoughts 
from  nature  up  to  nature's  God. 

The  timber  found  in  the  country  passed  through  is  the  cot- 
tonwood,  black  jack,  post  oak,  pecan,  pride  of  China,  and  the 
"  bois  d'arc,"  or  Osage  orange,  which  occurs  first  at  Boggy. 
The  wood  of  this  tree  is  the  hardest  and  toughest  known.  It 
is  used  by  the  Indians  for  making  their  bows,  (hence  its  name,) 
is  very  close  grained,  and  of  a  deep-yellow  colour.  It  is  also 
used  for  hedges.  A  very  fine  and  lasting  dye  is  also  ex- 
tracted from  it.  The  foliage  is  very  thick,  leaf  small  and  of 
a  very  deep-green,  making  it  a  handsome  addition  to  the 
forest.  It  bears  also  a  very  large  apple,  which  contains  the 
seed,  and  which,  when  fully  ripe,  is  a  deep  orange  colour. 

The  pecan,  is  very  useful  for  mechanical  purposes,  as  it  can 
be  split  into  very  thin  laths,  and  is  very  pliable.  We  also 
found  some  hickory  and  white  oak,  but  very  rare. 

Although  the  soil  is  in  general  a  black  loam  and  very  rich, 
the  timber  is  short,  Except  the  cottonwood. 

The  soil  is  well  adapted  for  corn — the  only  thing  the 
Indians  raise — and  vegetables,  evidenced  by  the  strength 


THE    KIDNAPPER.  57 

and  luxuriance  of  the  sun-flower,  a  plant  which  always  flour- 
ishes best  in  a  locality  suitable  for  these  crops. 

During  our  stay,  many  Indians  came  in  to  trade  at  the 
sutler's  store.  They  were  Caddos,  Chickasaws  and  Witchi- 
tas,  a  dirty,  squalid  and  uninteresting  set. 

A  party  of  Kickapoos  also  passed  one  morning,  with  pack- 
mules.  They  were  on  their  way  down  to  Eed  Kiver  to  barter 
for  whiskey,  the  bane  of  the  red  man,  but  which  he  will 
have,  despite  of  law  and  at  the  risk  of  starvation,  a  melan- 
choly depravity,  to  our  shame  be  it  said,  entailed  upon  him 
by  the  white  man,  against  which  no  curse  can  be  too  loud 
or  too  bitter,  no  effort  too  strenuously  exerted  to  eradicate. 

An  old  Chickasaw  chief  came  in  one  evening,  with  three  of 
his  negroes,  who  had  been  kidnapped. 

He  related  to  us  a  singular  incident  connected  with  this 
affair.  These  negroes  were  kidnapped  during  his  absence 
from  home,  and  upon  following  them  up,  with  a  chosen  party, 
armed  to  the  teeth,  and  prepared  for  any  emergency,  he  over- 
took them  and  found  that  the  kidnapper  had  just  died  sud- 
denly by  the  road-side,  so  that  his  property  was  recovered 
without  any  resort  to  knives  or  pistols,  the  usual  "argumen- 
turn  ad  kominem"  in  this  country. 

We  had  now  passed  one  hundred  and  eighty  miles  through 
the  Choctaw  and  Chickasaw  Reserve,  as  fertile  a  country  as 
ever  the  light  of  day  rested  upon,  and  yet  every  days' 
experience  and  observation  had  only  served  to  increase  my 
feelings  of  depreciation  of  the  character  and  habits  of  the 


58  NOTES   TAKEN. 

natives,  and  my  regret  that  so  much  of  such  fine  land  should 
be  left  to  lie  idle  and  unworked.  Why  the  government 
should  not  have  limited  these  people  to  a  tract  much 
smaller,  and  even  then  more  than  they  can  or  will  cultivate 
is  to  me  a  mystery.  Not  one-sixteenth  part  of  it  will  ever 
be  brought  under  cultivation,  under  the  present  system. 

Climate,  and  every  natural  advantage  here  only  serve  to 
foster  the  natural  indolence  and  distaste  for  all  useful  exer- 
tion, inherent  in  the  Indian. 

It  is  true,  many  of  the  natives  are  rich  in  this  world's 
goods  ;  it  is  not,  however,  owing  to  their  exertions,  but  is  the 
effect  of  the  force  of  circumstances. 

With  this  rich  domain,  inviting  cultivation,  and  which 
yields  tenfold  for  the  smallest  amount  of  cultivation  from 
the  tiller ;  with  a  market  at  their  very  doors — for  this  is 
and  will  be  for  years  the  main  route  for  emigrants — and  daily 
inquiry  made  for  corn  and  fodder,  which  they  cannot  supply, 
they  are  content  to  live  neglectful  of  the  golden  opportunity, 
scarcely  raising  enough  for  their  own  wants,  and  not  even 
varying  their  own  home-fare  with  an  occasional  potatoe  or  a 
turnip  ;  indeed,  they  raise  no  vegetables  of  any  kind. 

Their  cattle  and  horses  roam  through  the  luxuriant  pas- 
tures, which  nature  clothes  in  verdure  and  life,  winter  and 
summer,  uncared  for,  except  to  be  driven  up  and  branded 
when  necessary ;  their  hogs  subsist  upon  the  mast,  and  with 
the  corn,  supply  their  eternal  diet  of  hog  and  hominy.  Thus, 
their  horses  and  cattle  supply  their  hoard;  their  hogs  and 


SMOKING     SUMACH.  59 

corn — the  one  fed  from  nature's  bounty,  the  other,  raised 
by  the  sweat  of  their  slaves,  in  quantity  sufficient  to  keep 
them  from  starvation — are  their  food;  and  the  Indian  can 
mount  his  pony  and  gallop  whooping  through  the  prairie, 
lounge  dozing  about  his  log  hut,  or  taking  his  rifle,  stroll 
listlessly  about  the  country ;  in  short,  do  any  thing  but  work ; 
that  is  a  word  not  known  in  his  vocabulary. 

Nor  does  their  country  supply  only  the  necessaries  of  life  ; 
the  sumach  grows  in  abundance,  and  is  prepared  from  the 
stalk  almost  in  an  instant. 

Whilst  in  camp  one  evening  during  our  march,  I  observed 
two,  Indians  ride  up  and  dismount.  One  of  them  stooped 
down,  pulled  something  from  under  his  horse's  feet,  and 
walking  to  the  camp  fire,  held  it  over  the  flame.  Prompted 
by  curiosity,  I  went  over  and  found  him  preparing  sumach 
for  his  evening's  smoke.  He  had  pulled  a  bunch  of  the  green 
branches  of  the  plant,  and  now  held  them  in  the  flame  just 
far  enough  and  long  enough,  to  singe  and  curl  them  ;  he 
then  rubbed  them  in  his  hands,  filled  his  pipe,  lit  it,  and, 
mounting,  was  gone,  the  whole  process  not  detaining  him 
five  minutes. 

Thus,  even  the  luxuries  of  life  are  supplied  by  the  same 
bountiful  hand,  and  "dolce  far  niente"made  as  perfect,  as 
imagination  can  conceive,  or  the  Indian's  capacity  enjoy. 

Even  the  few  improvements  in  culinary  utensils,  and  faci- 
lities for  preparing  food  for  cooking,  are^not  taken  advantage 
of.  The  old  log  burnt  hollow  at  one  end,  and  the  rude 


GO  NOTES    TAKEN. 

pestle,  still  hold  their  place ;  the  hand-mill,  as  old  as  the 
patriarchs,  graces  the  chimney  side,  and  a  pot  or  two  and 
an  earthen  jar  make  up  the  complement. 

So  lived  their  forefathers,  and  that  their  ghosts  may  not 
revisit  and  rebuke  any  innovation,  the  Indian  world  must 
stand  still. 

The  style  of  building  among  this  people  is  peculiar ;  two 
square  pens  are  put  up  with  logs,  and  roofed  or  thatched. 
The  space  between  the  pens  is  covered  in  and  serves  for 
eating-place  and  depository  of  harness,  saddles  and  bridles, 
&c.  A  door  is  cut  in  each  pen,  facing  the  passage.  They 
have  no  windows,  the  door  admitting  all  the  light  used. 
This  style  is  called  two  pens  and  a  passage,  and  is,  in  fact, 
only  a  shelter  for  the  family  from  bad  weather,  for  of  furni- 
ture they  have  but  little,  and  that  of  the  rudest  and  most 
uncomfortable  kind. 

These  buildings  are  stuck  (almost  invariably)  upon  the 
road ;  no  neat  door  yard,  with  a  substantial  fence  and  neat 
gate,  encloses  them  ;  no  flower  or  vegetable  garden  is  seen, 
but  the  ornamental  figure  of  a  half-starved  hog,  grunts 
lazily  on  one  side,  and  a  pack  of  miserable  curs  lounge  on 
the  other,  the  whole  presenting  an  untidy  picture  of  squalid 
discomfort,  which  even  its  temporary  appearance  cannot 
deceive. 

Their  present  code  of  laws,  if  strictly  enforced,  would 
secure  all  the  safety  to  life  and  property  necessary,  but 


MEDICINE    MAN.  61 

either  from  indolence  or  inefficiency  law  is  comparatively 
a  dead  letter  among  them. 

In  the  space  of  six  weeks,  this  season,  no  less  than  five 
murders  were  committed,  and  yet  we  met  two  of  the  crimi- 
nals at  large  and  taken  by  the  hand  as  usual. 

The  stringent  law  against  the  introduction  of  whiskey 
may  occasionally  be  enforced,  but  when  it  is,  it  is  because 
the  facts  are  too  palpable  to  allow  of  any  escape. 

The  Bible,  and  the  missionary,  have  failed  to  eradicate 
their  veneration  for  and  superstitious  belief  in  the  medicine 
man. 

At  different  points  on  our  road  we  were  witnesses  to 
the  absurd  pow-wow  and '  ridiculous  incantation  of  these 
swindlers. 

Near  the  hut  where  lies  the  patient,  they  erect  a  pole, 
from  the  top  of  which  flaunts  gay  ribbons  and  pieces  of  gay 
cloth.  At  the  foot  of  the  pole  stands  a  frame,  to  which  is 
attached  a  bale  of  muslin  or  woolen  cloth,  ribbons,  &c , 
and  the  door  of  the  hut  is  festooned  with  ribbons  and 
colored  cloth. 

The  mighty  medicine  man  goes  through  with  his  mum- 
meries, and  leaves,  taking  the  precaution  to  take  with  him, 
as  perquisites,  all  the  cloth,  ribbons,  &c.,  which  have  been 
used,  and  according  to  his  wa&ts,  of  muslin,  woolen  or  rib- 
bon, so  will  be  the  quantity  required,  and  the  quality  of 
these  infallible  antidotes  to  the  disease  to  be  cured.  What 
a  commentary  upon  a  people  having  all  the  advantage?  of 


62  NOTES    TAKEN. 

the  civilization  and  enlightenment  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury ! 

A  bill  has  been  introduced  into  Congress,  by  the  young 
and  talented  Senator  from  Arkansas,  to  organize  a  terri- 
torial government,  which,  sanctioning  the  privilege  of  pur- 
chase in,  and  settlement  upon,  the  Reserves,  by  the  white 
population  from  the  States,  would  soon  change  the  face 
of  affairs  for  the  better,  for  what  clearer  proof  is  necessary 
of  the  inefficiency  of  the  pure  blooded  native  to  manage  in 
a  civilized  community,  than  the  fact,  that  in  almost  every 
instance,  the  leading  men  in  these  tribes  are  either  half- 
breeds,  or  have  a  tincture  of  white  blood  in  their  veins. 

The  Senator  has  displayed  the  highest  grade  of  philan- 
thropy and  sagacity  by  his  efforts  in  this  cause,  and  if 
successful,  will  not  only  elevate  and  retrieve  the  Indian 
character  from  aspersion,  but  relieve  the  general  govern- 
ment from  a  heavy  burden  of  imputation  of  wrong  and 
injustice,  under  which  it  now  labors. 

Two  views  are  to  be  taken  of  the  savage  state.  Either 
it  is  a  state  of  degradation  from  original  greatness,  or  else 
the  natural  condition  of  man.  If  the  former,  it  may  be 
restored  ;  if  the  latter,  it  may  be  improved. 

That  nations  may  decline  in  civilization,  is  evidenced  in 
the  degraded  condition  of  the  nomadic  hordes  that  roam 
the  vast  plains  of  the  East,  descendants  of  a  people  who 
built  the  greatest  cities  of  their  time,  but  that  they  may 
be  improved,  is  a  cardinal  principle  of  philanthropy. 


TERRITORIAL   BILL.  63 

The  modern  Englishman  is  as  faj*  removed  in  civilization 
from  his  ancestor,  the  savage  Briton,  clothed  in  skins  and 
dwelling  in  huts,  as  the  American  from  the  Indian,  or  as 
the  humanized  condition  of  the  African  race  among  us 
differs  from  the  brutal  condition  of  the  negro  in  Guinea; 
and  if  mere  contact  with  civilization  can  produce  such 
results,  what  would  not  a  systematic  effort  effect,  when 
brought  to  bear  upon  a  race  degraded  from  either  of  the 
causes  named. 

The  policy  of  our  government  has  been  practically  to 
deny  the  capacity  of  the  Indians  for  civilization,  by  com- 
pelling them  to  hold  their  lands  in  common,  and  not  in 
severalty,  depriving  them  of  the  power  of  alienation,  thereby 
creating  no  necessity  for  self-reliance  and  individual  effort. 

I  know  that  some  of  our  wisest  statesmen,  and  men  of 
philanthropic  and  benevolent  natures,  have  pronounced 
this  the  most  merciful  policy,  and  that  intelligent  white- 
men,  who  have  had  opportunities  of  studying  the  Indian 
character,  either  in  an  official  capacity  or  as  missionaries, 
or  as  traders,  ha ve*  pronounced  civilization  to  be  so  repug- 
nant to  the  native  that  he  will  not  submit  to  its  wholesome 
restraints,  and  hence  that  the  phrase,  "  Injun  will  be  Injun," 
has  become  trite,  yet  I  contend  that  the  Indian  never  can 
be  elevated  but  by  his  individual  effort,  and  that  thrift, 
prudence,  and  discipline  of  character,  the  real  elements  of 
civilization,  can  never  be  attained  until  he  has  to  depend 


64  NOTES   TAKEN. 

upon  himself,  a  result  ne^er  to  be  arrived  at  so  long  as  his 
lands  are  held  in  common. 

That  some  would  fall  a  prey  to  the  speculator  and  become 
still  lower  in  the  scale  of  degradation,  must  be  expected  ;  but 
they  would  be  but  a  minority,  and  not  to  be  considered  in  the 
ultimate  benefits,  and  situated  as  we  are  towards  the  red  man, 
it  is  our  duty— as  it  should  be  our  earnest  desire  and  plea- 
sure—to atone  for  his  wrongs  by  affording  him  every  reason- 
able facility  for  his  possible  improvement. 

My  sympathies  are  with  the  aborigines,  and  I  cannot  better 
express  them  than  by  advocating,  with  voice  and  pen,  a 
measure  which  seems  to  me  to  be  fraught  with  more  ultimate 
good  results  for  them  than  any  heretofore  promulged  by  our 
statesmen.  Let  them  once  be  involved  in  common  interests 
with  white  men,  and  a  new  impulse  would  be  given  to  them. 
They  would  substitute  practical  life  for  sensual  existence,  accu- 
mulate wealth  where  they  now  barely  scratch  out  a  support, 
and,  instead  of  degraded  peasants,  would  become  wealthy 
agriculturists. 

It  is  not  the  ability  that  the  Indian  wants,  it  is  example,  and 
to  be  brought  daily  into  contact  with  the  results  of  well 
directed  industry,  both  of  body  and  mind.  This  would  be 
effected  by  the  bill  proposed,  and  which  no  well-wisher  of  the 
Indian  can  for  a  moment  oppose. 

Though  the  days  of  Tahmehuncl  and  Logan,  of  Tecumseh 
and  lied  Jacket,  have  long  passed  away,  and  though  their 
virtues,  energies  and  moral  worth  live  but  in  history,  still 


INDfAN    IDEAS.  G5 

many  scions  of  the  stock  may  arise  to  kindle  anew  the  burn- 
ing fires  of  their  eloquence  and  reflect  new  splendor  upon 
ancient  aboriginal  renown.  Let  us  cherish  the  hope,  that  ere 
long  the  Indian  representative  may  be  found  occupying  his 
•seat  in  our  national  legislature, to  advocate  his  own  cause  and 
secure  his  rights  from  oppression. 

I  was  not  surprised  in  conversing  with  many  of  the  old 
men  of  the  tribes,  on  the  subject  of  this  bill,  to  find  them  al^ 
of  one  opinion. 

They  are  strongly  opposed  to  if,  and  wind  up  all  their  con- 
versations with  the  same  conclusion,  viz.,  that  it  is  a  scheme 
of  the  white  man  to  dispossess  them  of  their  lands.  They 
say,  "  We  got  land  now,  we  keep  him  ;  white  man  come,  all  is 
gone." 

This  idea  is  a  necessary  consequence  of  their  inherent  dis- 
trust of  our  race.  At  heart  they  hate  us,  and  are  only  kept 
apparent  friends  by  either  fear  or  self-interest.  t  * 

The  young  men  who  have  had  some  advantages  of  educa- 
tion, and  mingled  more  with  the  population  of  the  States,  are 
more  favourably  disposed  to  the  newly  proposed  arrangement, 
a  fact  which  is  acknowledged  by  the  old  men  with  much  bit- 
terness, and  either  denounced  as  treason  or  as  a  scheme  to 
rise  in  power  and  influence  in  the  tribes. 

I  took  my  leave  of  this  fair  spot  in  earth's  garden  with 
mingled  feelings  of  regret  and  pity — regret,  that  so  much 
beauty  and  fertility  was  wasted  upon  indolence  and  obtuse- 
ness  ;  pity,  to  find  all  but  the  spirit  of  man  divine. 


66  NOTES   TAKEN. 

Our  train  arrived  on  the  twenty-second,  and  on  the  twenty- 
sixth  the  Captain,  having  concluded  all  arrangements,  left 
with  part  of  it,  intending  to  cross  Red  Eiver  and  wait  for  the 
arrival  of  the  military  escort  and  the  rest  of  our  wagons,  &c., 
at  the  Lower  Cross-Timbers. 


MILITARY    ESCORT.  67 


CHAPTER  Y. 

FORT   WASHITA   TO    LOWER    CROSS   TIMBERS. 

Leave  the  Fort. — Military  escort. — Adyenture  with  a  Chickasaw. — Arrive  at  Red 
Kiver. — Scenes  at  the  Ferry. — Town  of  Preston. — Desperate  fight. — Description 
of  foil,  &c. — Cross  Big  Mineral. — Basin  Spring. — Distances  on  Plains  decep- 
tive.— Arrive  at  Lower  Cross  Timbers. 

JUNE  29th. — At  noon  to-day  we  left  our  comfortable  quar- 
ters at  our  friend  S.  H 's,  and  bidding  adieu  to  Washita, 

with  its  green  plains,  noble  hearts  and  bright  faces,  we  entered 
the  timber,  skirting  the  plain  on  the  south-east,  and  com- 
menced our  long  journey  to  unexplored  Texas. 
.  Our  military  escort,  which  arrived  on  the  twenty-eighth, 
consisted  of  forty  non-commissioned  officers  and  men,  from 
the  seventh  Regiment  of  infantry,  commanded  by  Lieutenants 
P e  and  C- n  of  that  regiment. 

The  command  was  a  mixed  one  of  Americans,  Germans  and 
Irish,  a  fine  body  of  men,  and  as  they  had  all  volunteered  for 
the  expedition,  we  flattered  ourselves  that,  should  we  get  into 
a  fight,  we  should  have  good  material  to  depend  upon. 

The  afternoon  was  oppressively  hot,  so  we  made  but  a  short 
march,  and  on  coming  into  camp  found  two-thirds  of  the  com- 
mand "  hors  de  combat,"  from  indulging  too  freely  in  whiskey, 
where  obtained  no  one  could  tell,  but  the  fact  spoke  for 
itself. 


68  NOTES    TAKEN. 

To  add  to.  our  discomfort,  a  party  of  drunken  Indians  came 
howling;  and  yelling  around  camp,  so  that  the  night  passed  in 
restlessness  and  apprehensions  for  the  morrow. 

It  is  almost  invariably  the  case,  when  commencing  a  march, 
that  the  common  soldier  must  have  a  frolic  ;  whether  to  drown 
regret  at  leaving  his  barracks,  or  in  drinking  farewell  with  his 
friends,  or  that  he  takes  advantage  of  whiskey  depots  on  his 
route,  cannot  be  told ;  most  probably  each  of  the  three  rea- 
sons has  its  weight,  and  the  latter,  perhaps,  the  weightiest 
of  all. 

It  is  not  a  common  drunk,  either,  that  he  indulges  in,  but 
one  that,  unless  he  gets  into  the  hands  of  the  guard,  leaves 
him  stripped  of  accoutrements,  and  almost  of  clothes,  absorb- 
ing months  of  his  scanty  pay  in  an  afternoon's  debauch. 

The  most  watchful  care,  on  the  part  of  his  officer,  fails  to 
prevent  this  evil,  and  the  only  thing  that  can  be  done  is  to 
make  the  offender  suffer  the  penalty  of  his  offence. 

Some  did  not  get  into  camp  at  all,  and  canteens,  belts,  and 
even  muskets,  were  strewed  along,  just  where  recklessness  or 
oblivion  overtook  the  Bacchanal,  to  be  picked  up  if  it  might 
so  happen,  if  not,  to  be  charged  against  his  score  on  pay  day. 

Captain  Whiskey's  account*  of  profit  and  loss,  had  a  long 
list  on  the  debit  side  for  this  day's  work;  we  were  fortunate 
however,  in  not  having  a  mutiny  to  cap  the  climax. 

During  the  evening  a  young  Chickasaw — a  very  tine 
specimen  of  the  Indian — came  into  our  camp'  and  asked  lor 
whiskey.  He  was  quite  drunk  at  the  time,  and  we  declined 


DRUNKEN     CHICKASAW.  69 

giving  him  any  stimulant  whatever.  Very  soon  after  he  took 
a  fancy  to  a  calico  shirt  I  wore,  and  offered  a  gaily  trimmed 
hunting  shirt  in  exchange.  I  gave  him  the  shirt,  and  in  a 
short  time  he  jumped  up  suddenly  to  leave.  Springing  on  his 
horse,  we  then  observed  that  he  had  appropriated  a  knife 

belonging  to  Lieutenant  P e,  and  a  buckskin  coat 

belonging  to  our  servant.  We  immediately  charged  him  with 
the  theft,  when  he  flew  into  a  terrible  rage,  swearing  venge- 
ance and  heaping  imprecations  upon  us.  "VVe  advanced  upon 
him  in  a  quiet,  but  determined  manner,  when  he  threw  down 
the  coat,  but  galloped  off  with  the  knife,  swearing  bitterly  all 
the  while,  and  gesticulating  violently  as  far  as  we  could  see 
him.  "We  kept  a  good  look  out  for  him,  but  saw  no  more  of 
him,  though  we  learned  in  the  morning,  that  he  was  one  of 
the  party  who  made  the  night  hideous  by  their  howls  and 
yells  around  camp. 

June  30th. — Our  march  to  day  was  very  dull  and 
uninteresting,  our  road  at  first,  running  over  a  succession 
of  rough,  steep  hills,  covered  with  low  oaks ;  the  weather 
oppressively  hot,  and  the  men  suffering  from  their  debauch. 

Five  miles  brought  us  to  a  very  wide  prairie,  which  we 
crossed,  admiring  the  beautiful  flowers,  as  usual,  and  every 
moment  starting  quails  or  grouse  from  their  hiding  places  in 
the  rich  grass. 

This  prairie  was  almost  a  level  plain,  extending  to  thex 
horizon,  and  consequently  not  so  attractive  a  view  as  those 
previously  seen. 


70  NOTES   TAKEN. 

After  leaving  it,  we  entered  the  timber,  which  lined  the 
road  all  the  way  to  Red  River,  and  passing  many  Indian 
farms,  all  looking  alike — to  describe  one  is  to  describe  all — 
we  encamped  upon  the  skirt  of  Red  River  bottom  early  in 
the  afternoon,  to  allow  the  stragglers  to  come  in,  and  to 
prepare  for  crossing  the  stream  in  the  morning.  Soon  the 
guard-house — a  sunny  spot  on  the  hill-side,  where  they  could 
boil  at  leisure — was  filled  with  delinquents;  and  evening 
parade  presented  a  funny  farce,  of  bloody  noses,  torn  clothes, 
and  lame  excuses,  ending  by  bringing  some  ropes  into 
requisition,  and  tying  several  of  the  transgressors  to  trees, 
to  spend  the  night  among  gnats,  musquitoes  and  other 
serenaders,  which  abounded  in  any  quantity,  a  romantic 
commencement  to  a  long,  hot,  and  perilous  march. 

July  1st. — One  would  have  supposed  that  the  experience 
of  the  two  last  days  would  have  been  a  sufficient  lesson  to 
our  gallant  sons  of  Mars,  but  the  sequel  of  this  day  will  prove 
the  contrary. 

.We  left  camp  at  sunrise,  and  marching  two  miles  through 
the  low,  sandy  bottom,  thickly  wooded  with  cottonwood  trees, 
with  their  limbs  beautifully  festooned  with  the  trumpet 
creeper,  in  full  bloom,  we  arrived  on  the  shores  of  Red  River, 
which  we  were  obliged  to  cross  by  ferry  boat,  causing  con- 
siderable delay  from  our  numbers,  and  the  weight  of  our 
wagons. 

We  found  ("  en  bivouac,"  upon  the  high  bank),  a  party  of 
Scminole  Indians,  men,  women,  and  children,  who  had  come 


WHISKEY   TRADE.  71 

a  distance  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  through  the 
Reserve,  to  purchase  whiskey  on  the  opposite,  or  Texas  shore 
of  the  river. 

They  were  engaged  in  crossing  it  over  in  five  gallon  kegs. 
These  they  afterwards  slung  on  their  pack-horses  in  a  netting 
made  of  raw  hide.  About  fifty  gallons  were  already  piled 
upon  the  bank  in  kegs,  and  more  arriving  every  hour  or  two. 

The  women  were  quite  the  most  industrious  of  the  party, 
although  assisting  in  procuring  the  cause  of  most  of  the 
brutal  treatment  they  receive  from  their  husbands. 

Though  not,  low  enough  to  be  fordable,  the  water  was  still 
low  enough  to  cause  much  trouble  in  getting  the  large  flat  up 
to  the  bank,  so,  being  impatient  to  cross,  I  stepped  into  a 
skiff,  which  held  Indians  and  empty  kegs,  and  was  soon  over. 

On  the  way,  I  incidentally  asked  the  ferryman,  what  he 
charged  for  this  service,  when  to  my  surprise  he  replied, 
"  Why,  them  as  buys  whiskey  we  don't  charge  nothin ';  them 
as  dos'nt,  it's  a  bit."  Proving  a  concert  of  action  between 
himself  and  the  rum-seller,  who  can  afford  to  pay  well  for 
every  votary  brought  to  his  shrine,  as  he  sells  the  fiery  stuff 
at  two  dollars  per  gallon,  it  costing  }\imff1een  cents. 

There  is  no  means,  at  present,  of  preventing  this  traffic, 
the  general  government  having  no  jurisdiction  upon  the 
Texas  shore.  All  that  can  be  done,  is  for  the  Light  Horse 
to  be  vigilant  and  firm  in  the  execution  of  the  law. 

The  first  person  I  met  on  landing,  was  the  captain  of  the 
troop,  a  young  Chickasaw,  son  of  a  chief. 


72  NOTES   TAKEN. 

He  was  waiting  patiently  until  the  whole  purchase  should 
be  crossed  over  into  the  Reserve,  when  he  followed  with  his 
men,  and  promptly  destroyed  it  all,  amounting  in  value  paid 
to  one  hundred  and  forty  dollars.  May  he  continue  vigilant 
in  this  good  cause,  and  perhaps,  examples  made,  and  the 
penalties  suffered,  may,  in  time,  arrest  this  horrible  evil. 

The  town  of  Preston,  from  which  all  this  misery  for  the 
Red  man  emanates,  is  a  collection  of  low  groggeries  and  a 
few  stores,  lining  the  high  bluff  bank  of  the  river. 

It  is  notorious  as  the  scene  of  some  most  cold-blooded  and 
cruel  murders,  committed  in  open  day,  and  with — up  to  that 
time — perfect  impunity.  This,  together  with  the  detestable 
traffic  I  have  just  alluded  to,  has  brought  such  a  stigma  upon 
the  place,  that  the  very  name  is  sufficient  for  all  that  is 
ruthless  and  vicious. 

Whether  our  men  had  saved  some  drams  from  the  old 
stock,  or  whether  they  procured  a  new  supply  from  the  Semi- 
noles,  we  knew  not,  but  to  our  surprise  and  dissatisfaction, 
they  began  to  get  noisy  and  uproarious  before  leaving  the 
shores  of  the  nation,  and  by  the  time  that,  with  the  most 
strenuous  exertions  on  the  part  of  the  officers  and  the  few 
sober  men  in  the  command,  our  heavy  train  and  oxen  were 
ferried  over,  insubordination  was  rife  in  the  ranks. 

So  soon  as  they  could  be  formed  upon  the  Texas  shore,  the 
officers  marched  them  rapidly  through  the  village,  but  it 
being  late  in  the  afternoon,  and  the  weather  very  hot,  they 


BLOODY   FIGHT.  73 

concluded  to  make  but  a  short  march,  and,  leaving  the  com- 
mand in  charge  of  the  serjeant,  preceded  a  short  distance  to 
search  for  good  camping  ground. 

Immediately,  a  scene  of  brutal  and  bloody  confusion  com- 
menced, which  left  indelible  marks,  not  only  on  our  memories, 
but  upon  the  heads  and  limbs  of  the  drunken  actors  in  it. 

Scarcely  had  we  reached  a  good  camping  spot,  when  a 
man  came  up,  breathless,  saying,  that  murder  had  been  com- 
mitted ;  and  before  the  officer  in  command  could  gallop  to 
the  battle  ground,  two  men  came  in,  one,  so  completely 
bathed  in  blood,  that  but  for  his  oaths,  imprecations,  and 
gesticulations,  he  would  have  been  taken  for  any  thing  else 
than  a  human  being, 

These  men  were  both  Irishmen,  who  had  long  been  inimi- 
cal, and  meeting  during  the  general  melee,  both  heated  with 
liquor,  and  one  over  elated  from  having  just  come  off  cham- 
pion in  a  single  combat,  the  desperate  manner  in  which  they 
fought,  was  evidenced  by  the  injuries  received. 

Upon  examination,  one  was  found  to  have  received  twenty- 
two  incised  wounds  upon  the  head,  neck,  face  and  arms,  one 
finger  cut  off,  terribly  bruised  about  the  body,  and  a  stab  in 
the  back,  seven  inches  long,  and  an  inch  and  a  quarter  deep, 
yet,  like  a  wild  beast,  he  wallowed  in  his  gore,  and  with  the 
strength  of  a  lion,  strove  again  and  again,  to  reach  his 
antagonist,  who,  with  a  wound  from  a  bayonet,  in  the  left 
breast,  lay  panting  for  breath  and  vomiting  blood,  a  few 


74  NOTES   TAKEN. 

yards  off.  Others  were  badly  bruised  and  beaten,  and  in 
fact,  the  major  part  of  the  command  were  in  a  state  unfitting 
them  for  discipline,  or  even  punishment. 

Thus  ended  our  dreams  of  a  quiet  march  for  the  rest  of  our 
journey.  We  had  hoped,  that  the  examples  made  before,  would 
have  had  a  salutary  effect,  but  behold,  some  of  the  very  men 
who  had  transgressed  and  been  punished,  now  worse  than 
ever,  whilst  to  crown  all,  the  chief  non-commissioned  officer 
was  one  of  the  principals  in  the  bloodiest  affray,  and  now 
lay  completely  "hors  de  combat." 

What  a  life  does  a  subaltern  of  infantry  lead !  It  is  all 
very  pretty  to  write  on  paper,  and  to  talk  of  the  chivalry  and 
romance  of  a  soldier's  life,  of  the  tented  field,  the  glittering 
review,  or  the  charging  squadron,  but  when  we  come  to  the 
realities,  (as  experienced  in  our  service,)  of  a  young  lieu- 
tenant, with  no  protection  but  his  nerves  and  individual 
dexterity  in  arms,  no  guide  but  his  sense  of  duty,  sent  out 
upon  a  lonely  prairie,  to  govern  a  company  of  men,  formed 
of  every  nation  almost  under  the  sun;  men  naturally  brutal 
and  vicious  when  sober,  worse  than  brutes  when  drunk;  aware 
that  but  little  compromise  will  be  made,  or  consideration  of 
circumstances  taken  count  of,  should  disaster  occur;  know- 
ing, too,  that  his  duty  is  done  at  the  risk  of  health  and  life, 
and  for  a  pittance  of  pay  as  inadequate  as  it  is  ungenerous,  it 
seems  to  me,  that  he  who  can  find  romance  in  such  a  life 
must  draw  largely  upon  his  imagination. 


MUSTANGS.  75 

The  officers  commanding  this  escort  were  both  very  young 
men,  but  watchful,  energetic,  and  determined;  and  it  is  to 
these  traits  of  character  that  we  were  indebted  for  no  greater 
disaster,  as  in  the  preservation  of  discipline  they  were  sup- 
ported but  by  two  or  three  worthy  exceptions  among  the 
men.  We  camped  about  six  miles  from  Preston,  and  spent 
a  very  uncomfortable  night. 

From  Fort  Washita  to  Bed  river,  the  soil  is  loam,  with 
ridges  of  limestone.  The  timber,  oak  and  pecan,  with  occa- 
sional bois  d'arc  and  cottonwood.  The  river  takes  its  name 
from  the  colour  of  its  water,  which  is  a  dark  maroon,  full  of 
sediment,  and  very  unpalatable 

The  Texas  shore  is  very  bold,  presenting  a  stratification 
of  red  clay  and  white  sand,  giving  a  striking  and  very  pecu- 
liar appearance  in  the  distance,  like  chalk  cliffs. 

The  stream  is  but  seldom  in  good  boating  order,  rapid, 
and  full  of  shifting  shoals,  making  a  very  tedious  ferriage. 

Whilst  we  were  crossing,  a  herd  of  about  twelve  hundred 
wild  cattle  were  driven  into  the  river  from  the  Texas  shore, 
to  swim  them  over  into  the  Nation. 

Taking  the  course  of  the  stream,  they  swam  down  some 
distance,  so  that  the  whole  herd  was  in  the  water  at  the 
same  time,  presenting  a  most  singular  appearance,  with  their 
long,  sharp  pointed  horns  and  taper  heads,  only  seen  above 
the  surface. 

A  herd  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  mustang  mares  was  also 
driven  across. 


76  NOTES  TAKEN. 

These  mares  were  taken  wild  on  the  plains,  and  were 
intended  for  the  breeding  of  mules  in  Missouri. 

Having  read  many  descriptions,  and  seen  drawings  of  the 
noble  horse  in  his  native  wilds,  what  was  my  surprise  to  find 
a  poor,  miserable,  spindle-shanked,  puny  stock,  not  one  of 
which  I  would  accept  as  a  gift  (particularly  if  good  points 
were  the  object),  and  at  the  same  time  to  be  told  that  they 
were  very  excellent  specimens  of  the  breed. 

I  account  for  their  degeneracy,  from  the  unavoidable  breed- 
ing in  and  in,  which  is  inevitable  in  a  wild  state,  and  to  which 
may  be  attributed  the  ill  shape  and  small  size  of  so  many 
domesticated  Indian  ponies. 

The  mustangs  have  proved  entirely  worthless  for  all  ser- 
vice, wherever  the  experiment  has  been  tried,  very  vicious, 
and  of  no  powers  of  endurance  on  the  road. 

This  experiment  of  mule  raising,  may  be  successful,  but  I 
should  doubt  it  very  much ;  the  stubbornness  of  the  ass,  and 
the  viciousness  of  the  mustang,  not  being  the  proper  ingredi- 
ents for  serviceable  domestic  stock. 

July  2d. — Hospital  duties,  and  the  necessity  of  providing 
some  means  of  transportation  for  the  wounded  of  yesterday, 
(our  ambulance  having  gone  on  with  the  Captain),  detained 
us  until  a  late  hour  this  morning. 

The  non-commissioned  officer,  either  from  real  suffering,  or 
shame  that  he  had  set  so  bad  an  example,  was  in  an  appa- 
rently very  distressed  state,  but  after  a  time,  a  reclining  place 
was  found  for  him  in  ono  of  the  wagons.  The  rest  marched 


FUNNY   INCIDENT.  77 

with  the  command,  an  instance  of  power  of  endurance  in 
the  one  so  badly  wounded,  seldom  to  be  met  with,  his  loss  of 
blood,  and  the  intense  heat  of  the  weather  considered.  Before 
leaving,  a  laughable  incident  occurred. 

A  man  (who  had  shone  conspicuous  in  the  revel  and  fight) 
came  up  to  the  Doctor,  with  both  his  eyes  bunged  shut. 

"  Doctor,"  says  he,  in  a  rich  brogue,  "  am  I  fornint  ye,  for 
divil  a  bit  can  I  see  ounly  daylight.  Won't  ye  plaze  and  cut 
me  eyes  open,  for  how  do  yees  expict  a  blind  man  till  travil  an 
this  a  strange  counthry.  Cut  thim  open,  Doctor  dear;  sure 
I'll  niver  flinch,  and  if  I  hed  thim  opin  I  could  see  as  will  as 
ony  man  in  the  Company ;"  a  fact  which  the  Doctor  did  not 
dispute,  but  declined  the  operation,  so  tied  on  a  pony,  and  it 
led  by  the  guard,  poor  Pat  had  to  put  up  with  "  ounly  day- 
liylit"  for  that  day  at  least. 

Noon  found  us  crossing  the  Big  Mineral,  a  limestone 
stream  running  through  a  rich  bottom,  thickly  grown  up  with 
large  cotton  wood,  honey  locust,  overcup,  and  other  heavy 
timber,  besides  plenty  of  the  bois  d'arc.  The  overcup  is  a 
species  of  oak,  bearing  an  acorn  as  large  as  a  hen's  egg.  The 
tree  is  very  tall  and  straight,  making  excellent  timber  for 
building  purposes. 

After  leaving  Preston,  we  entered  upon  the  vast  plains, 
which  stretching  to  the  Cross  Timbers,  gave  us  a  foretaste  of 
our  home,  and  the  seat  of  our  labors  for  many  weeks. 

From  this  point,  there  is  but  a  house  here  and  there,  and 


78  NOTES   TAKEN. 

the  little  village  of  Gainesville,  until  we  reach  the  Upper  Cross 
Timbers,  and  then  adieu  to  all  outward  signs  of  civilization. 

Early  in  the  afternoon,  we  stopped  at  the  Basin  Spring,  a 
perfect  fairy  bath  tub,  and  fatigued  with  the  scenes  of  the  past 
three  days,  overcome  by  the  intense  heat,  and  almost  famished 
with  thirst,  but  above  all,  enamored  with  the  place,  we  deter- 
mined to  encamp  for  the  night. 

An  apparently  dry  ravine  ran  at  right  angles  to  our  course, 
on  traversing  which,  we  came  suddenly  upon  a  series  of  ledges 
of  limestone  rock,  arranged  like  stairs. 

Over  these,  the  water  trickled,  and  was  caught  in  a  basin, 
worn  by  time  and  the  action  of  the  water,  about  three  feet 
deep,  and  five  in  diameter,  and  so  pellucid,  that  the  smallest 
article  might  be  seen  on  the  bottom. 

After  the  muddy  waters  of  Red  River,  and  the  stagnant 
pools  of  the  prairies,  what  wonder  that  we  hailed  this  foun- 
tain with  delight,  drank  copious  draughts,  laved  in  its  cool 
refreshing  bosom,  and  poured  out  libations  to  the  Naiad  of 
the  Spring.  "We  did  all  this,  aye,  more,  for  we  treated  her  to 
a  serenade,  the  first  we  had  felt  any  spirits  for  since  leaving 
Fort  Washita ;  and  cooled,  calmed  and  refreshed,  an  early 
hour  found  us  wrapped  in  that  slumber  which  only  the  tired 
man  can  really  enjoy. 

July  3d. — Daylight  found  us  bidding  adieu  to  the  Nymphs 
of  the  fountain,  and  entering  upon  the  last  large  prairie  we 
crossed  before  reaching  the  Cross  Timbers. 


CROSS   TIMBERS.  79 

After  marching  three  miles,  we  came  to  a  house  nestled  in 
a  clump  of  trees,  in  the  open  prairie. 

We  found,  after  making  inquiries  here,  how  deceptive  dis- 
tances are  on  these  plains. 

The  man  had  never  been  beyond  his  house,  in  the  direction 
we  were  travelling,  and  in  reply  to  our  inquiry,  how  far  it  was 
to  the  timber,  which  was  in  sight,  and  where  we  expected  to 
join  Captain  Marcy,  he  said,  "about  three  miles,"  and  truly  it 
did  not  seem  farther,  but  it  was  eight  miles,  two  hours'  travel 
before  we  reached  the  outskirts,  and  three  miles  farther  we 
found  the  Captain  encamped  in  a  very  cozy  skirting  of  timber 
by  the  roadside. 

The  eye  is  deceived  quite  as  much  on  the  plains  as  on  the 
water ;  the  long  stretches  of  prairie,  although  undulating,  pre- 
sent no  object  so  prominent  as  the  belt  of  timber  which  bounds 
them,  so  that  the  eye  rests  at  once  upon  this,  skipping  over 
the  intermediate  space  and  shortening  the  distance  just  in 
proportion  as  the  ground  is  level  or  broken. 

These  Cross  Timbers  are  a  very  singular  growth.  The 
one  we  had  now  entered  is  called  the  Lower  Cross  Timbers, 
and  is  about  six  miles  wide ;  then  eighteen  miles  from  the 
outer  edge  of  this  one,  we  should  enter  the  Upper  and  larger. 
They  extend  almost  due  north  and  south,  from  the  Canadian 
to  the  Brazos.  The  timber  is  a  short,  stunted  oak,  not  grow- 
ing in  a  continuous  forest,  but  interspersed  with  open  glades, 
plateaus,  and  vistas  of  prairie  scenery,  which  give  a  very  pic- 
turesque and  pleasing  variety. 


80  NOTES    TAKEN. 

Thus  far  from  Washita  I  had  missed  the  flowers.  A  few 
were  still  left,  but  they  had  lost  the  charm  of  profusion  and 
luxuriance. 

It  was  to  be  sure  getting  late  in  the  season,  and  I  must 
expect  that  soon  these  prairie  gems  would  vanish  entirely  from 
our  sight,  but  the  thought  caused  me  much  regret ;  there  was 
such  a  home  feeling  about  them,  it  was  like  missing  "  the  old 
familiar  faces." 

I  found  no  new  varieties  to  add  to  those  already  collected 
and  described,  except  a  convolvulus,  and  a  species  of  lauris- 
tinus,  of  both  of  which  I  obtained  specimens. 

The  Captain  having  concluded  to  dispense  with  one  of  the 
teams,  and  send  it  back  to  Washita,  the  afternoon  was  spent 
in  dispatching  by  this  unexpected  opportunity,  letters  to  our 
far  off  friends  and  home,  when,  after  a  pleasant  bath  in 
a  little  stream  below  camp,  we  resigned  ourselves  to  our 
blankets  for  the  night. 


INDEPENDENCE   DAY.  •  81 


CHAPTEE  VI. 

LOWER   CROSS   TIMBERS   TO   UPPER   CROSS   TIMBERS. 

Camp  on  Elm  Fork  of  Trinity. — Independence  day. — Arrival  of  Indian  hunters. — 
Remarks  on  the  Delawares. — Arrival  at  Gainesville. — Description  of  Tornado.— 
Funny  scene  in  Gainesville.— Last  house  in  Texas.— Parlance  of  the  settlers.— 
Camp  on  the  Trinity. — Night  march. — Manner  of  tracking  horses  by  the 
Indians. — First  rattlesnake  killed. — Arrival  at  Upper  Cross  Timbers. 

JULY  4th. — Independence  day  found  us  on  the  march  just 
as  day  dawned,  and  soon  leaving  the  timber,  we  entered  upon 
a  broken  country,  conisting  of  ridges  of  sand  and  limestone, 
interspersed  with  small  prairies  and  small  strips  of  timber, 
principally  black  jack,  until  we  emerged  upon  and  crossed 
Elm  Fork  of  the  Trinity,  where,  on  account  of  the  intense 
heat,  Captain  Marcy  determined  to  halt  and  encamp,  there- 
after, intending  to  march  by  moonlight,  until  we  reached  the 
Grand  Prairie. 

This  stream  runs  over  a  bed  of  reddish  limestone,  very  full 
of  fossils,  principally  the  oyster  and  the  periwinkle,  and 
winding  through  an  extensive  prairie,  offered  a  very  pretty 
camp,  whereat  to  spend  our  national  holiday. 

Soon  the  tents  were  pitched,  and  a  ration  of  grog  issued 
to  the  men,  whilst  our  mess  indulged  in  a  bumper  of  claret, 
and  some  excellent  cake,  presented  us  by  the  old  cook 
at  Washita.  This,  with  the  Star  Spangled  Banner,  Hail 


82  NOTES   TAKEN. 

Columbia,  and  Yankee  Doodle,  of  course,  roared  out  at  the 
top  of  not  the  weakest  lungs,  constituted  our  celebration, 
our  echoes  bringing  into  camp  an  old  squatter,  who,  roused 
from  his  solitude  by  such  vociferous  republicanism,  came  to 
ascertain  the  meaning  of  the  invasion.  His  curiosity  was 
gratified  to  our  gain,  as  we  procured  from  him  some  excellent 
butter,  at  the  moderate  rate  of  a  bit  a  pound,  a  rich  treat 
in  camp. 

During  the  afternoon,  we  were  agreeably  surprised  by  the 
arrival  of  John  Wagon,  and  John  Jackson,  our  two  Delaware 
hunters  and  guides. 

The  manner  and  the  certainty  with  which  they  found  us, 
shows  how  invaluable  this  race  of  men  is  for  such  service. 

Whilst  we  lay  at  Washita,  Captain  Marcy  visited  Fort 
Arbuckle,  and  left  word  with  Big  Beaver — a  famous  Dela- 
ware— to  procure  him  hunters  and  guides.  He  could  not 
procure  them  in  time  to  join  us  at  Washita,  but  ascertaining 
our  route,  and  time  of  departure,  these  men  took  a  straight 
course  across  the  country,  guided  by  the  stars,  swimming  Ked 
River,  and  other  intervening  streams,  subsisting  on  cold 
flour,*  and  what  game  they  met  with,  and  struck  our  camp — 
one  hundred  and  ninety  miles  from  Fort  Arbuckle — on  the 
afternoon  of  the  fourth  day,  as  accurately  as  though  they  had 

*  Cold  flour  is  a  preparation  of  corn.  It  is  first  parched,  then  pounded  and 
according  to  taste,  a  little  sugar  mixed  with  it.  A  handful  of  this  will  make  a 
int  of  gruel,  upon  which  a  man  can  subsist  for  twenty-four  hours. 


TIIE   DELA WARES.  83 

only  been  making  an  excursion  in  the  neighbourhood,  and 
came  in  as  unconcerned  as  only  an  Indian  can  be. 

They  were  paid — for  their  services  during  our  expedition — 
one  dollar  and  a  half  a  day,  and  one  ration,  besides  having 
transportation  for  the  skins  of  deer,  &c.,  that  they  might  kill. 

We  congratulated  ourselves  on  the  prospect  of  now  having 
plenty  of  game,  (as  they  are  famous  hunters,)  which  would 
be  a  delightful  change  from  salt  provisions  in  such  hot 
weather. 

The  Delawares  and  Shawnees  are  among  Indians,  what  the 
Jews  are  among  Christians. 

Coming  originally  from  the  shores  of  the  Delaware  River, 
they  are  scattered  thoughout  the  South  and  West,  though 
their  principal  settlement  is  on  Caw  River,  in  Missouri. 

Wherever  they  are  found,  they  preserve  the  same  character 
for  truth,  honesty,  and  intelligence,  and  are  ever  ready,  at  a 
moment's  warning,  to  take  service,  as  hunters,  guides,  or 
interpreters,  and  travel  off  hundreds  of  miles  from  home. 

They  serve  entirely  in  these  capacities,  and  are  universally 
known  and  esteemed  by  travellers  in  our  wild  territories,  in 
fact,  it  is  almost  impossible  to  get  any  other  Indians  to 
perform  these  duties ;  they  are  either  too  selfish,  too  lazy, 
or  too  ignorant,  and  when  applied  for,  always  make  the  same 
reply,  "  Delaware  he  do  dat,  may  be  so  you  get  him." 

We  tried  the  experiment — as  a  matter  of  curiosity — when 
in  the  Choctaw  and  Chickasaw  country,  but  to  no  purpose. 
They  all  knew  the  capabilities  of  the  Delawares,  and  always 


84  NOTES    TAKEN. 

•'"% 

ended  by  suggesting  them.  They  are  a  noble  race,  very 
athletic,  but  short  in  stature. 

It  is  a  religious  principle  with  them  never  to  run  from  the 
foe,  a  fact  which  their  enemies  attribute  to  a  funny  cause, 
viz.,  the  shortness  of  their  legs,  they  say  "Delaware  can't 
run,  he  got  short  leg,  must  stand  and  fight  heap." 

One  of  their  superstitions  is,  that  the  Great  Spirit  in  the 
shape  of  a  huge  eagle  hovers  over  them.  When  pleased, 
he  appears  in  the  clouds,  and  occasionally  drops  a  feather. 
When  angry,  he  rises  out  of  sight,  and  speaks  in  thunder. 
The  feather  is  supposed  to  render  the  wearer  invulnerable. 

The  Delawares  and  Shawnees  assimilate  and  intermarry. 
We  expected  an  addition  of  three  Delawares  and  a  Shawnee, 
at  Fort  Belknap,  thus  making  our  Indian  corps  complete,  and 
formidable. 

Sun  down,  found  the  camp  all  bustle,  preparatory  to  a 
night  march,  and  ere  the  harvest  moon  showed  her  calm  pale 
face,  we  were  on  the  road  to  Gainesville,  where  we  arrived  in 
two  hours. 

This  collection  of  five  or  six  log  cabins,  dignified  with  the 
name  of  a  town,  was  rendered  celebrated  in  the  annals  of 
storms  by  a  most  terrific  tornado,  which  occurred  here  on 
the  twenty-eighth  of  May,  (the  same  whose  ravages  I  before 
remarked  upon  in  the  Choctaw  Nation),  the  traces  of  which, 
had  they  not  come  under  my  observation,  too  palpably  to  be 
mistaken,  I  should  have  put  down  in  the  same  category  with 
the  Munchauseii  stories. 


FURIOUS    TORNADO.  *  85 

About  dark,  on  the  day  mentioned,  this  storm  arose,  and 
passing  over  the  country  in  a  vein  a  mile  wide,  left  marks  of 
its  ravages,  which  were  as  indelible  as  they  were  destructive. 

The  motion  of  the  tornado  was  undulatory,  evidenced  by 
the  manner  in  which  every  thing  it  came  in  contact  with  was 
treated ;  as  for  instance,  a  very  heavy  ox  wagon  was  taken 
up  and  carried  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  where  it  stuck  in  the 
ground  to  the  axletree ;  taken  up  again,  it  was  carried  several 
hundred  yards  farther,  and  there  the  wheels  were  twisted  off, 
and  a  tire  broken  and  twisted  into  several  pieces. 

Fences  were  blown  off,  driven  into  the  ground,  broken  off, 
and  again  blown  a  long  distance. 

Two  women  were  taken  up  and  blown  three-quarters  of 
a  mile,  impinging  three  times  against  the  ground  in  their 
terrific  flight. 

A  -horse  was  blown  into  a  tree,  where  it  happened  to 
catch  by  its  fore-leg  and  shoulder ;  these  vrere  torn  from 
the  body  and  were  still  hanging  there,  the  balance  of  the 
carcase  lying  in  a  field  full  a-quarter  of  a  mile  off. 

A  sheep  was  blown  into  the  top  of  a  high  tree,  where  we 
saw  it  as  we  passed. 

The  strata  of  wind  seems  also  to  have  been  about  ten 
feet, from  the  ground,  rising  and  falling,  as  the  trees  in  its 
course  were  broken  off  in  a  manner  clearly  so  to  indicate. 
One  house,  also,  was  blown  down  to  the  foundations,  whilst 
another,  beyond  and  in  a  line  with  it,  had  the  roof  taken  off. 

In  short,  the  whole  scene  indicated  the  result  of  great  and 

8* 


86  »  NOTES   TAKEN. 

inconceivable  power  exerted,  fortunately  attended  with  but 
little  loss  of  life  and  limb. 

The  same  tornado  destroyed  the  buildings  and  the  beauti- 
ful ;parade  at  Fort  Towson,  one  hundred  and  forty  miles 
distant,  creating  a  most  singular  coincidence,  viz. :  orders 
had  just  been  received  to  abandon  the  post,  and  remove  the 
troops,  &c.,  to  Fort  Arbuckle  ;  these  were  nearly  executed, 
when  the  tornado  occurred  ;  so  that,  in  the  same  week,  it  was 
abandoned  by  government  and  also  by  heaven,  and  is  now  a 
complete  ruin. 

Being  considerably  in  advance  of  the  train,  P e  and 

myself  went  to  a  small  store  to  make  some  purchases,  when 
a  laughable  incident  occurred. 

On  our  way  to  the  store,  we  met  a  man  with  but  one  leg, 
who  proved  to  be  the  proprietor. 

P e,  in  conversation,  asked  him  how  he  lost  his  leg ; 

he  told  us,  and  proved  to  be  a  jolly  fellow. 

An  article  we  wanted  not  being  on  hand,  he  directed  us 
to  another  store  near  his ;  on  going  into  which,  what  was 
our  surprise  to  find  its  proprietor  also  minus  a  leg,  and 
before  we  completed  our  purchase,  our  quondam  acquaint- 
ance came  in,  when  upon  my  remarking  that  two  one-legged 
men  were  quite  a  large  proportion  for  so  small  a  place — 
"  Oh,"  says  he,  *•  there  are  two  more,  and  three  of  us  board 
at  the  same  house ;  I  shouldn't  wonder  if  he  came  in,  he's 
here  a'most  every  night," — and  sure  enough  he  did  (strange 


QUEER     LINGO.  87 

as  it  may  appear),  and  joined  in  our  merry  laugh  at  so  funny 
a  coincidence. 

I  proposed  a  race  for  a  bottle  of  whiskey,  when,  to  our 
surprise,  they  assented,  and  started  off  up  the  road,  whilst 
we,  dying  with  laughter,  were  obliged  to  ride  off,  being 
behind  the  train  some  distance. 

A  more  absurdly  ridiculous  sight  cannot  be  imagined, 
than  the  six  crutches  and  three  legs  scampering  off  in  the 
moonlight.  Long  and  loud  were  our  shouts  of  laughter  and 
those  of  our  camp  companions,  when  we  related  the  scene, 
and  Gainesville  remains  the  one-legged  settlement,  from 
that  date,  in  our  memories. 

In  an  hour,  we  arrived  at  the  last  house  in  Texas,  and 
entering  a  piece  of  timber  which  crossed  our  road — a  spur 
of  the  Cross  Timbers — found  it  impracticable  on  account  of 
the  late  storm,  and  consequently  were  obliged  to  encamp 
until  a  road  could  be  cut  through. 

We  retraced  our  steps  to  a  clear  spring,  near  the  house, 
and  despite  musquitoes, — which  abounded  in  thousands, — 
camped  for  the  night. 

During  our  detention,  I  visited  the  house  to  make  pur- 
chases, if  possible,  of  eggs,  chickens,  milk,  &c.,  for  our  mess, 
and  was  much  amused — as  I  had  been  before — at  the  pecu- 
liar parlance  of  the  settlers,  as  for  instance — "  Will  you  sell 
me  some  eggs?"  "We  ha'nt  got  nar  an  eggs."  "Any 
chickens?"  "We  ha'nt  got  nar  a  chickens."  "Any  milk?" 


88  NOTES   TAKEN. 

"  We  ha'nt  got  nary  milk."  These  replies  were  given  with 
a  strong  nasal  twang,  totally  indescribable.  I  made  out, 
however,  at  length,  to  get  "a  chickens"  and  returned  to 
camp  with  the  odd  lingo  still  ringing  in  my  ears. 

July  5th. — Our  camp  proved  very  uncomfortable  and  bare 
of  pasture,  so  as  soon  as  the  road  was  clear,  we  struck  tents 
and  made  a  short  march  to  a  fresh  and  grassy  meadow  on 
the  banks  of  Elm  Fork  of  Trinity  River. 

At  the  crossing  of  this  stream,  we  made  some  very  inter- 
esting fossiliferous  collections,  among  the  rest  a  nautilus, 
very  large  and  an  entirely  new  species. 

During  the  afternoon,  Wagon  saddled  up  and  was  gone 
about  half  an  hour,  when  he  returned  with  his  first  deer,  a 
fat  doe. 

The  stream  abounded  in  fish,  among  which  was  a  new 
species  of  cat-fish  of  a  deep  jet  black,  several  of  which  were 
added  to  our  collection. 

Preparatory  to  our  night  march,  we  all  indulged  in  a 
delicious  bath  in  this  clear  limestone  water,  and  at  sunset 
were  off,  with  a  thunder-storm  rumbling  in  the  east,  and 
lighted  on  our  way  by  the  prairie  on  fire  in  our  rear.  A 
high  wind  arose  just  as  we  started,  and  the  cook's  fire  being 
scattered,  a  fine  effect  was  produced,  as  the  night  waxed 
older  and  the  storm-cloud  grew  blacker — on  one  side  a 
pillar  of  fire — on  the  other  a  pillar  of  cloud — and  the  wilder- 
ness between— a  striking  picture  of  the  sublime,  which  left 
a  deep  impression  upon  us  all. 


RATTLESNAKE    HUNT.  89 

We  made  a  very  long  march  and  at  midnight  encamped 
upon  a  branch  of  the  same  stream. 

July  6th. — This  morning  our  Indians  rendered  us  a  most 
important  service. 

The  fatigue  of  the  last  march  had  made  the  ostlers  care- 
less, and  our  horses  having  been  loosely  picketed,  every 
horse  but  two  was  missing  at  daylight. 

Fearful  of  consequences,  the  frightened  ostlers  were 
scouring  around  for  hours,  but  unsuccessfully,  when  report 
being  made  to  the  Captain,  he  dispatched  the  Delawares, 
who  quietly  saddling  up,  were  gone  about  an  hour,  and 
returned  with  the  whole  troop,  besides  each  had  shot  a  fat 
doe,  so  that  with  the  one  shot  yesterday  venison  abounded 
in  camp.  The  plan  they  pursued  was  to  ride  in  a  straight 
line  to  the  outside  of  the  pickets,  and  then  make  a  circle 
completely  around  camp,  before  completing  which,  they 
struck  the  trail  of  the  stray  animals,  and  following  it  up 
soon  overtook  them. 

The  stream  here  was  very  narrow,  but  afforded  water  suf- 
ficient for  our  use,  and  a  short  distance  above  camp  we  found 
a  pool  large  enough  to  bathe  in,  which  we  availed  ourselves 
of  just  before  starting  in  the  evening. 

A  bright  moon  shon'e  over  us  on  this  our  last  march 
before  reaching  the  Upper  Cross  Timbers.  In  fine  spirits 
our  party  rolled  along,  cracking  jokes  and  carolling 
snatches  of  wild  song,  when  just  as  we  passed  the  brow 
of  a  hill,  our  harmony  was  checked  by  a  rapid  k-r-r-r-r 


90  NOTES   TAKEN. 

k-r-r-r-r,  rattle,  rattle,  rattle,  and  a  voice  exclaimed,  "look 
out,  look  to  your  left,"  and  sure  enough,  there,  almost  under 
my  horse's  feet  and  coiled  ready  to  strike,  lay  an  enormous 
diamond  rattlesnake,  looking  ten  times  more  deadly  in  the 
moonlight.  Bang !  bang !  went  revolvers — k-r-r-r-r,  k-r-r-r-r, 
went  the  rattle — "  there  he  goes," — "  here  he  is," — "  there, 
hit  him  with  your  ramrod," — "ah,  that  will  do," — "now, 
bring  him  out."  "  My  eyes,  what  a  whopper !  did  yees  iver 
see  the  like  ?  sure  we  have  none  of  sich  divils  in  the  ould 
country,  the  bloody  tief ;  what  do  they  make  sich  a  ting  fur 
ony  how  ?"  said  Paddy  Thompson  (the  same  lad  who  had  his 
eyes  bunged  in  the  late  melee)  "  hould  im  up  'till  I  look  at 
im," — and  there  he  hung,  six  feet  long  and  eleven  rattles, — 
"  an  soul,  but  it's  mesilf  'ill  kape  out  o'  the  weeds  if  there 
mony  jintilmen  like  him  there,"  said  the  same  genius.  This 
was  the  first  large  specimen  we  had  met  with.  Our  long 
boots  and  thick  gloves  were  now  indispensable,  as  these  jintle- 
men  are  not  at  all  trustworthy. 

This  Thompson  was  a  queer  specimen  of  the  Emerald  Isle. 
An  old  deserter  from  the  British  army,  he  was  the  Caleb 
Quotem  of  his  company,  soldier,  smith,  carpenter,  shoemaker, 
poet  and  vocalist,  but  his  love  of  whiskey  kept  him  in  the 
hands  of  the  guard  more  than  three-fourths  of  his  time. 

It  was  amusing,  on  the  march,  to  hear  him  rolling  out  his 
Irish  camp  songs,  one  of  which — the  confounded  refrain  of 
which  rings  in  my  ears  as  I  write — called  the  fate  of  Nell 
Flaherty's  Drake,  was  a  great  favorite  among  his  comrades, 


THE   BIVOUAC.  91 

and  even  whilst  blind  from  his  fight,  his  voice  could  be  heard 
with  the  richest  brogue  and  merriest  tone,  as  though  nothing 
had  happened. 

Such  is  the  rakish,  vagabond  spirit  of  the  Irishman,  which 
suffering  cannot  depress,  privation  cannot  subdue.  The  s61- 
dier  and  laborer  of  the  world,  in  the  words  of  the  old  song — 

"  Och,  for  drinkin',  for  fightin'  or  handlin'  the  flail, 
"Whoop,  the  boys  of  ould  Ireland  will  niver  turn  tail." 

About  nine  o'clock  we  halted  for  the  night  near  a  small 
pond  skirted  with  timber,  and  the  weather  being  so  warm, 
concluded  to  sleep  "  en  bivouac."  It  was  not  long  before  the 
insect  world  made  us  sensible  of  their  presence,  and  after 
enduring  their  attacks  for  a  brief  season,  I  left  my  blanket 
under  the  trees,  and  started  to  see  how  the  Indians  managed. 
They  always  bivouaced  some  distance  from  camp,  and  upon  my 
approach  I  saw  a  sight  which  caused  me  to  stop  and  admire. 

They  had  divested  themselves  of  their  scanty  attire,  and 
with  their  blankets  spread  under  them,  sat  cross-legged,  erect, 
and  perfectly  motionless,  looking  like  two  bronze  statues  in 
the  moonlight.  It  was  a  study  for  the  sculptor,  a  moment  to 
realize  a  preconceived  idea  of  symmetry  in  form  and  grace  in 
posture. 

At  this  season  they  always  sleep  in  the  open  prairie,  and 
away  from  trees  or  underbrush.  Taking  the  hint,  I  moved 
my  quarters  also  out  into  the  moonlight  and  enjoyed  my  rest, 
whilst  my  companions  were  slapping  and  scratching  in  the 
busiest  manner  all  night. 


92  NOTES    TAKEN. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

UPPER   CROSS   TIMBERS   TO   LITTLE   WITCHITA. 

Thoughts  at  Sunset. — Enter  the  Timber. — Camp  fire  half  way. — Old  soldier 
brought  in.— Jackson's  Adventure.— Singular  Mounds.— The  Delawares  in 
Camp.— Sunset  Scene.— Arrive  at  Little  Witchita. 

JULY  7th. — At  an  early  hour  the  Captain  decided  to  cross 
the  remaining  three  miles  of  road  intervening  to  the  edge  of 
the  Upper  Cross  Timbers,  and  encamping  for  the  day,  com- 
mence the  passage  early  in  the  evening. 

Soon  the  train  was  in  motion,  and  without  breakfast  we 
marched  briskly  along,  snuffing  the  fresh  air  of  the  flowery  and 
dew-spangled  prairie,  until  we  reached  a  clear  limestone  spring 
where  tents  were  soon  pitched  and  preparations  made  to  satisfy 
appetites  keenly  sharpened  by  the  morning's  work. 

Before  leaving  our  bivouac  I  caught  an  enormous  tarantula 
and  a  large  species  of  wasp,  which  burrows  in  the  sand  and  is 
very  venomous,  as  it  avenged  its  death  by  stinging  me,  from 
the  effects  of  which  my  hand  was  lame  for  a  week. 

One  of  the  men  caught  a  large  diamond  rattlesnake,  five 
feet  long,  with  eight  rattles,  which  being  unbruised  I  prepared 
for  our  collection  ;  we  also  caught  a  new  species  of  lizard  and 
made  some  addition  to  our  fossils. 

Wagon  brought  in  another  fat  doe,  and  Jackson  brought 


GRAND    SCENERY.  93 

me  a  cup  of  his  cold  flour  gruel  to  taste,  which  was  a  great 
curiosity  to  me.  It  tasted  like  mush,  and  was  very  palatable 
and  cooling. 

We  caught  several  horned  frogs,  a  species  of  lizard,  very 
nimble  and  curious  little  creatures,  quite  harmless,  and  long- 
lived,  even  when  deprived  of  food,  one  having  been  kept  six 
months  unfed. 

In  this  way  the  day  passed  pleasantly  and  quickly,  and 
sunset  found  us  all  ready  to  enter  the  timber. 

The  road  from  our  camp  ascended  gradually  over  the 
prairie  for  about  a  mile,  when  suddenly  and  abruptly  we 
found  ourselves  upon  the  brink  of  a  steep  and  precipitous 
descent.  On  either  side  large  grassy  bluffs  stood  like 
fortifications,  terrace  and  bastion  rising  one  over  the  other, 
as  if  to  guard  the  entrance.  Below,  stretching  as  far  as  the 
eye  could  reach,  lay  the  apparently  interminable  forest  of 
the  Cross  Timbers,  like  a  barrier,  on  passing  which  we  were 
to  be  shut  out  from  civilization,  its  joys  and  cares,  for  many, 
many  weeks. 

We  all  stopped  involuntarily  to  cast  a  last  lingering  look 
North,  where  lay  all  that  we  held  most  dear,  and  home, 
sweet  home,  never  sounded  more  sadly  sweet  than  when 
sung  at  that  hour,  with  the  last  rays  of  a  summer  sunset 
deepening  the  shadows  of  the  battlemented  mounds  and 
darkening  the  thick  foliage  at  our  feet.  One  look  more, 
one  sigh,  one  heartfelt  prayer  to  Heaven  that  we  might  be 

9 


94  NOTES   TAKEN. 

spared  to  return  and  tell  of  all  the  wonders  and  beauties  of 
nature  we  had  seen  and  were  to  see,  and  we  were  gone. 

The  long  twilight  and  the  bright  moon  succeeding  made 
our  journey  through  the  woods  much  easier  than  we  had 
anticipated,  though  the  road  was  much  broken  and  the 
trees  low,  stunted  and  very  dense. 

The  timber  is  post  oak  and  black  jack,  and  the  soil  very 
poor. 

Though  these  night  marches  prevented  our  making  many 
observations  along  the  road,  still  they  were  very  judicious, 
as  the  oxen  escaped  the  heat,  and  better  still,  the  flies, 
which  as  I  before  observed  rendered  them  almost  unman- 
ageable. There  is  a  wildness  about  them,  also,  which 
renders  them  very  fascinating.  To  watch  the  shadows 
grow  deeper  and  deeper,  to  let  the  fancy  play  and  imagine 
a  lurking  foe  in  every  thicket,  or  fashion  a  stunted  tree  or 
a  bush  into  a  panther  or  a  wolf — then  to  ride  in  advance  of 
the  train,  build  a  fire,  and  flinging  oneself  upon  the  ground, 
snatch  a  few  moments  sleep,  or  carol  out  some  camp-fire 
ditty,  with  wolves  howling  in  the  distance,  and  miles  of 
uninhabited  country  around,  is  a  romance  in  real  life,  which 
to  be  enjoyed  must  be  experienced. 

Intending  to  pass  entirely  through  before  camping,  we 
stopped  half-way  to  rest  the  cattle,  and  lighting  a  blazing 
fire,  our  sad  thoughts  at  sunset  gave  way  to  many  a  rollick- 
some  glee  and  hearty  joke,  until  the  old  woods  rang  with 
merriment,  and  the  bright  moon  seemed  to  shine  brighter 


JACKSON'S  SURPRISE.  95 

still  upon  our  noisy  bivouac.  Paddy  Thompson  came  in  to 
report  that  he  had  found  "  an  ould  citizen  feller" — as  he  ex- 
pressed himself— in  the  woods  and  brought  him  in,  and — 
"sowl,"  said  he,  "I  wouldn't  ha'  got  him  at  all,  only  he 
kaughed  in  the  grass,  then  I  knowed  it  was  a  humin."  He 
proved  to  be  a  poor,  squalid-looking,  half-clad  and  half- 
crazed  creature,  who  had  been  a  soldier.  He  was  now 
wandering  about  half  starved,  trying  to  find  his  way  to 
Fort  Belknap.  The  officers  told  him  to  keep  with  the  com- 
mand, but  as  soon  as  he  had  supped  off  the  contents  of  a 
haversack,  he  disappeared  and  we  saw  no  more  of  him. 

In  an  hour  we  were  again  under  way,  and  reaching  the 
prairie  we  pitched  our  tents,  picketed  our  horses,  and  all, 
except  the  sentinels,  were  soon  wrapt  in  sleep. 

July  8th. — This  morning  Jackson  was  missing.  He  soon 
came  in,  however,  and  with  a  most  lugubrious  countenance, 
related  his  story  of  the  night. 

He  said — "  Me  see  de  fire  light,  den  me  tink,  may  be  so 
he  camp  here.  Me  take  blanket,  lie  down,  go  sleep ;  me 
git  up,  no  man  is  dere  ;  may  be  so  all  gone  ;  now  is  day 
light,  me  see  trail,  come  on."  This  he  said  in  reference  to 
our  camp  fire  half  way.  It  was  a  perilous  nap  for  him,  but 
one,  no  doubt,  he  was  accustomed  to. 

Indians  always  speak  in  the  masculine,  third  person 
singular,  when  alluding  to  persons  or  things,  and  the 
phrase  "  may  be  so"  is  constantly  introduced  into  their 
conversations. 


96  NOTES   TAKEN. 

They  speak  very  broken  English,  and  I  found  they 
understood  me  much  better  when  I  spoke  to  them  in  the 
same  way,  a  correct  and  connected  speech,  seeming  to 
confuse  them. 

Last  night's  march  fatigued  us  all  very  much,  so  that  we 
slept  long  and  soundly. 

The  day  passed  in  reading,  writing  and  dozing,  with  the 
thermometer  at  one  hundred  in  the  shade,  and  nightfall 
found  the  train  "streched  out"  as  it  is  called,  and  all  ready 
for  the  road. 

The  day's  repose  put  us  all  in  order  for  the  enjoyment  of 
our  ride,  which  was  a  long  one,  but  under  such  a  sky  and  in 
such  a  country  time  and  space  are  easily  annihilated. 

We  passed  at  midnight  a  singular  mound  upon  the  open 
prairie,  which  we  ascended  and  had  an  extensive  moonlight 
view. 

This  mound  was  evidently  natural,  curious  from  the  fact, 
that  it  was  the  only  mass  of  earth  and  rock  in  sight  rising 
from  the  surface,  and  that  it  rose  abruptly,  from  a  narrow 
base,  to  a  height  of  over  one  hundred  feet. 

It  was  doubtless  the  •  remains  of  the  ancient  super  strata 
of  prairie,  which  worn  by  time  and  washing,  has  fallen  from 
the  level  of  the  great  Llano  Exetacao,  to  its  present  general 
surface. 

At  daylight  we  encamped  upon  a  tributary  of  Red  River. — 

July  9th.  Turning  night  into  day  does  well  enough  for 
cattle  and  horses,  but  its  effect  upon  the  human  biped  was 


DRYING   SKINS.  97 

very  perceptible  in  the  lounging  step,  the  hearty  yawn  and 
the  disordered  look  of  every  one  and  everything  about  camp. 

Our  Indians,  were  the  only  ones  stirring  until  a  late  hour, 
and  when  we  turned  out,  two  deer  were  ready  for  the  spit,  the 
proceeds  of  their  morning's  work. 

I  have  been  struck  with  the  thorough  going  manner  of  these 
Delaware  s. 

When  anything  was  to  be  done,  not  even  conversation  wns 
indulged  in  until  it  was  finished. 

So  soon  as  they  had  deposited  their  game  at  the  door  of  the 
Captain's  tent,  they  turned  their  attention  to  drying  the  skins  ; 
this  they  did  by  stretching  them  in  every  part  by  means  of 
long  thin  sticks,  fastened  upon  the  hair  side,  and  then  hanging 
them  in  the  sun,  and  air.  After  this — as  this  was  their  day 
to  draw  rations  of  sugar,  coffee  and  flour — bread  was  baked 
and  coffee  roasted,  they  then  prepared  a  meal,  and  afterwards 
lounged,  chatting,  smoking  or  dozing,  until  the  time  for 
making  ready  for  the  road,  a  good  example,  worthy  of  imita- 
tion, business  first,  ease  afterwards. 

Having  observed  another  mound  about,  as  I  thought,  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  off,  I  started  on  foot  to  explore  it,  when,  to 
my  surprise,  an  hour  elapsed  ere  I  reached  the  top,  so  decep- 
tive are  distances  on  the  prairie. 

This  mound  was  more  elevated,  but  less  abrupt  than  the 
former  one. 

I  found  on  top  a  rude  structure,  built  of  loose  stones,  but 

A 
9* 


CJ8  NOTES   TAKEN. 

whether  intended  as  an  altar  for  sacrifice,  or  constructed  as 
an  additional  land  mark,  it  was  impossible  to  tell.' 

Some  buffalo  bones  were  strewn  around,  and  I  roused  a 
large  grey  eagle  from  his  eyrie  on  the  rocks ;  who,  evincing 
rather  a  hostile  manner,  I  thought  most  prudent  to  make  my 
descent;  not  before,  however,  enjoying  the  view,  decidedly 
the  finest  sunset  scene  I  had  yet  met  with. 

There  is  a  kind  of  grass,  which  grows  on  the  prairie,  in 
patches,  resembles  timothy,  and  when  in  seed  has  a  long 
shining  cottony  head.  It  required  but  little  stretch  of  the 
imagination  to  form  these  patches  into  lakes,  glistening  in 
the  sunstt,  so  that  with  our  large  herd  feeding,  tents  pitched, 
and  white  covered  wagons,  dotting  the  plain,  I  had  as  fine  a 
pastoral  scene  before  me  as  could  be  desired. 

The  bustle  in  camp  and    the    lengthening  shadows  ad- 
monished me  that  it  was  time  to  mount ;  so  hastening  back, 

Lieut.  C n,  the  Doctor,  and  myself,  mounted,  took  the 

head  of  the  train,  and  led  off  on  our  grass-grown  way.     Soon 
an  object  appears  on  the  distant  horizon,  "  a  deer,"  said  one, 
"a  horse,"   said  another,"  "no,  its  a  man,"  we  all  exclaim 
together.    Now  the  sight  of  a  strange  face  and  form,  in  those 
wilds,  is  by  far  the  most  remarkable  that  can  be  met  with. 
It  is  like  meeting  with  a  strange  sail  at  sea ;  curiosity  and 
suspicion  are  both   aroused,  so  that  the  moment  a  human 
form  is  descried,  every  one  is  on  the  alert.     "  Let  us  recon- 
noitre," was  our  first  exclamation,  after  deciding  upon  the 


OLD    SOLDIER.  99 

genus  in  the  distance,  so  away  we  went,  when,  lo  and  behold, 
our  "ould  citizen  feller"  again.  Poor  old  wretch,  he  had 
become  bewildered,  from  fatigue,  hunger  and  thirst,  and 
turning  round  in  his  tracks,  was  travelling  away  from,  instead 

of  towards  the  fort.    Humanity  now  prompted  Lieut.  C n 

to  put  him  in  charge  of  the  guard,  so  that  he  reached  Fort 
Belknap  without  any  further  adventures. 

Our  march  was  a  very  long  one,  but  a  party  of  us  managed 
to  get  to  the  camping  ground  about  midnight,  where,  building 
a  fire,  we  resigned  ourselves  to  sleep  until  the  train  came  up. 


100  NOTES  TAKEN. 


CHAPTEE  VIII. 

LITTLE   WITCHITA  TO   COTTON   WOOD    SPRING. 

Curious  phenomenon.— Buffalo  signs  seen.— History  of  the  buffalo.— Deer  bleat— 
Me.oquite  trees.— Captain  leaves  for  Belknap.— Ox  killed.— Wolves  abundant.— 
Indian  relics  found. — Wild  horse  tracks  seen. — Wild  passion  flower. — Kickapoo 
camp. — Arrive  at  Cotton  Wood  Spring. 

JULY  10th. — Our  camp  was  on  the  head  waters  of  the 
South  fork  of  the  Little  Witchita. 

At  this  point  the  stream  did  not  run  at  this  season,  but  we 
found  plenty  of  water  in  holes  in  the  bed. 

Some  years  since,  Captain  Mafcy  (in  passing  along  this 
route  with  a  command,)  encamped  at  this  point,  and  notices — 
in  his  report — a  singular  phenomena,  which,  to  superstitious 
minds,  would  have  been  taken  for  a  great  and  good  omen. 

Arriving  here,  he  found  the  bed  of  the  stream  entirely  dry, 
but  dispatching  men  up  its  course  to  search  for  water,  they 
soon  came  running  back,  shouting,  "look  out  boys,  here 
comes  plenty  of  water ;"  and  sure  enough  the  river  soon  ran 
bank  full.  The  Captain  supposes  that  the  water  had  been 
dammed  up  by  brush  wood,  &c.,  and  suddenly  burst  through 
in  sufficient  quantity  to  create  the  apparent  miracle.  On 
such  grounds  many  so  called  supernatural  events  may  be 
explained. 


BUFFALO.  101 

After  breakfast,  this  morning,  the  Captain  started  (as  was 
his  usual  custom  when  in  camp)  to  hunt  and  explore  in  the 
neighbourhood.  He  returned  with  news  of  having  seen 
tracks  of  quite  a  herd  of  buffalo,  a  most  unusual  thing  now 
in  this  country,  and  which  excited  us  all  very  much,  as  a 
buffalo  hunt  is  the  prime  sport  of  the  prairies. 

This  animal  is  rapidly  disappearing  from  the  plains.  But 
eight  years  since,  herds  roamed  around  the  City  of  Austin,  and 
were  frequently  seen  in  the  streets  ;  now  there  are  tmt  few  to 
be  found  south  of  Red  River,  so  that  a  sight  even,  but  of  all 
things  a  chase,  would  have  been  an  episode  in  our  camp  life, 
affording  us  both  interest  and  excitement.  As  the  species  is 
becoming  extinct,  all  facts  connected  with  their  history 
become  interesting  and  important. 

They  were  once  found  in  countless  herds  over  almost  the 
whole  continent  of  North  America,  from  Lake  Champlain  to 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  from  the  twenty-eighth  to  the 
fiftieth  degree  of  North  latitude,  and  were  then  only  killed  in 
quantity  sufficient  to  furnish  the  Indian  with  food,  clothing 
and  lodges,  but  the  havoc  made  among  them  by  white  men 
for  their  skins,  and  thousands  of  them  for  their  tongues  alone, 
has  thinned  their  numbers,  and  driven  them  to  -a  narrow 
section  of  country,  between  the^  settlements  and  the  base  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains.  A  few  extracts  from  ancient  authors 
may  not  be  uninteresting  in  connection  with  this  subject. 

In  a  work  published  at  Amsterdam,  in  1637,  called  "  New 
English  Canaan,"  by  Thomas  Morton,  one  of  the  first  settlers 


102  NOTES   TAKEN. 

of  New  England,  he  says,  "The  Indians  have  also  made 
description  of  great  keards  of  well  groune  beasts  that  live 
about  the  parts  of  this  lake  (Erocoise),  now  Lake  Champlain, 
such  as  the  Christian  world  (until  this  discovery,)  hath  not 
bin  made  acquainted  with. 

"These  beasts  are  of  the  bigness  of  a  cowe,  their  flesh  being 
very  good foode,  their  hides  good  leather;  their  fleeces  very 
useful,  being  a  kind  of  ivoole,  as  fine  almost  as  the  woole  of 
the  beaver ;  and  the  salvages  do  make  garments  thereof. 

"  It  is  tenne  yeares  since  first  the  relation  of  these  things 
came  to  the  eares  of  the  English." 

Another  author  (Purchas)  states,  that  as  early  as  in  1613, 
the  adventurers  in  Virginia  discovered  a  "slow  kinde  of 
cattell  as  bigge  as  kine,  which  were  good  meate." 

In  a  work  published  in  London,  in  1589,  by  Hukluyt,  it  is 
stated,  that  in  the  island  of  New  Foundland  were  found 
"mightie  beastes,  like  to  camels  in  greatness,  and  their  feete 
were  cloven."  He  then  says,  "I  did  see  them /a/re  off,  not 
able  to  discerne  them  perfectly,  but  their  steps  showed  that 
their  feete  were  cloven,  and  bigger  than  the  feete  of  camels. 
I  suppose  them  to  be  a  kind  of  buffes,  which  I  read  to  bee  in 
the  countreys  adjacent,  and  very  many  in  thejirme  land." 

Colonel  Fremont  publishes  some  interesting  statistics  of 
these  animals,  in  his  report,  and  states  the  number  ascer- 
tained to  have  been  slaughtered  in  one  year  (1849)  to  be  six 
hundred  thousand.  With  this  rapid  diminution  in  their 
numbers,  they  must  in  a  few  years  be  entirely  exterminated. 


DEER   BLEAT.  103 

During  the  morning,  Wagon  brought  in  a  doe  and  fawn. 
It  made  me  sad  to  see  the  delicate  little  fawn  stretched  upon 
the  grass,  cold  and  dead.  I  enjoyed  the  rich,  juicy  flesh,  'tis 
true,  but  the  means  taken  to  procure  it  went  against  my 
feelings. 

Our  Delawares,  used  a  little  instrument  called  a  bleat,  to 
lure  the  does ;  it  is  made  in  two  pieces,  the  lower  one  pre- 
cisely like  the  upper  part  of  a  clarionet ;  On  this  is  fitted  a 
hollow  mouth  piece,  and  by  closing  the  end  of  the  lower 
piece,  filling  the  upper  with  air  and  opening  and  shutting  the 
lower  alternately,  the  cry  of  the  fawn  is  imitated  so  exactly 
as  to  lure  the  doe  within  shot,  thus  making  the  affection  of  the 
mother  for  her  young,  the  means  of  her  death,  a  piece  of  bar- 
barity which  I  could  not  sanction,  though  I  must  confess  my 
prairie  appetite  overcame  my  scruples  under  the  influence  of 
the  savoury  odour  of  the  smoking  haunch. 

It  is  not  always  consistent  with  safety  to  use  the  bleat  in  a 
wild  country,  as  sometimes  a  panther  or  a  bear  may  be  at- 
tracted by  the  sound,  and  unless  the  hunter  has  his  wits  about 
him,  he  may  suffer  for  his  sport. 

The  following  incidents,  which  happened  during  a  former 
expedition,  will  illustrate  this.  Captain  Marcy,  endeavoured 
to  lure  one  of  a  herd  of  antelopes,  that  were  feeding  some 
distance  from  him,  one  day  when  away  from  camp,  when  just 
as  he  was  in  the  act  of  firing  upon  one,  which  had  been  de- 
coyed within  range  of  his  rifle,  his  attention  was  drawn  to  a 
rustling  in  the  grass,  and  to  his  surprise,  he  saw  an  enormous 


104  NOTES   TAKEN. 

panther,  bounding  towards  him  and  within  twenty  paces.  In- 
stantly changing  the  direction  of  his  rifle,  he  fired  and  suc- 
ceeded in  dispatching  the  animal — the  Indian  guide  also,  once 
lured  a  doe  and  fawn  within  range,  when  a  panther  anti- 
cipated him  by  seizing  the  fawn,  but  was  immediately  shot. 

A  large  horned  adder  was  added  to  our  collection  to-day, 
sunset  found  us  again  on  the  march,  and  ten  miles  brought  us 
to  a  branch  of  the  Trinity  where  we  fixed  our  camp  for  the 
next  day. 

July  llth. — The  country  we  ,had  been  passing  over,  since 
leaving  the  Cross  Timbers,  was  a  rolling  prairie,  very  thin  in 
soil  and  timber  very  scarce.  At  this  point  we  began  to  find 
the  Mesquite  trees  in  great  abundance. 

This  growth  is  a  very  singular  one,  variously  called  Mes- 
quite, Mezkeet,  Musquit  and  Muckeet.  The  trees  grow  short 
and  scrubby,  seldom  attaining  a  height  of  twenty  feet,  with 
the  trunk,  from  four  to  fifteen  inches  in  diameter.  The 
limbs  are  short,  crooked  and  very  thickly  studded  with  sharp 
thorns.  The  leaf  is  pinnated,  long,  and  the  leaflets  elliptical, 
the  bark  a  dark  gray,  resembling  that  of  the  peach  tree,  the 
wood  coarse  grained  and  very  brittle,  with  the  heart  like 
dark  mahogany.  It  burns  readily,  with  a  clear  flame,  leaving 
a  very  hot  and  perfect  coal,  like  hickory. 

The  trees  grow  singly,  and  at  such  regular  intervals  as  to 
resemble  a  plantation,  and  so  much  like  a  peach  orchard  that 
one  cannot  divest  himself  of  the  idea,  in  entering  a  grove, 


MESQUITE    TREES.  105 

that  he  is  approaching  a  house,  and  involuntarily  listens  for 
the  watch-dog's  bark,  or  some  other  sign  of  human  habitation 

So  much  so  is  this  the  case  that  the  sutler  at  Fort  Belknap, 
relates  a  laughable  incident  (connected  with  this  subject)  of 
one  of  his  teamsters,  who  one  evening,  on  the  route  from  Fort 
Smith,  with  a  load  of  stores,  got  behind  the  train,  and  on 
coming  into  camp  without  his  team,  was  asked  where  he  had 
left  it,  "  Out  in  that  old  peach  orchard,"  was  his  reply. 

They  bear  a  long  slender  bean,  from  which  a  cooling 
beverage  is  made  by  the  Mexicans,  and  being  saccharine  and 
nutritious,  is  used  for  food  by  the  Indians  on  the  plains,  and 
makes  excellent  forage  for  horses  and  mules. 

It  affords  a  gum,  which  exudes  from  any  braise  or  incision, 
and  no  doubt  will  answer  all  the  purposes  of  the  gum  arabic, 
in  fact  it  belongs  to  the  same  family  as  the  acacia. 

The  mesquite  is  almost  the  only  tree  to  be  found  over  a 
vast  region  in  the  South  West,  and  from  its  many  useful 
qualities,  among  which,  not  the  least  is  its  durability  for 
building  purposes — will  be  invaluable  to  the  future  settlers. 

The  distressed  condition  of  our  oxen,  determined  the 
Captain  to  precede  the  train,  go  in  to  Fort  Belknap — forty 
miles  off — complete  his  arrangements  and  meet  us  fifteen 
miles  out,  from  which  point  we  commenced  our  unexplored 
journey  into  the  wilds  of  Texas. 

We  were  all  soon  busy  in  writing  the  few  last  words  home 
which  it  would  be  our  privilege  to  send  for  a  long  time. 

Hearts  and  homes,  sweet   words  of  pleasure,  how  clings 
10 


106  NOTES    TAKEN. 

affection  round  your  memories.  The  sunny  hours  of  childhood, 
the  sterner  realities  of  manhood,  the  ties  of  filial  and  domestic 
affection,  all  crowd  upon  the  thoughts  at  such  a  moment, 
never  so  fully  appreciated,  so  fondly  loved,  as  when  about  to 
say  farewell  perhaps  forever.  We  all  felt  the  influence  of  our 
solitude  and  isolation,  and  sadly  wore  the  day  away  until  sun- 
set brought  the  hour  of  preparation  for  our  midnight  march. 

During  the  day  'three  new  species  of  lizards,  and  several 
fish  were  added  to  our  collection.  In  the  afternoon  the 
Captain  and  the  Doctor  left  us,  and  marching  at  nightfall, 
eight  miles  brought  us  again  to  the  Trinity  where  we 
encamped.  * 

Shortly  after  getting  to  camp,  it  was  determined  to  kill 
an  ox,  who  had  broken  a  horn  and  was  quite  unruly. 

An  hour  had  not  elapsed,  before  we  had  a  beautiful  con- 
cert of  whines,  yells  and  barks  from  a  pack  of  at  least  one 
hundred  wolves,  who  snuffing  the  blood,  stationed  themselves 
around  us  and  kept  up  their  hungry  serenade  until  day 
dawned. 

The  wolf  met  with  here,  was  the  gray  species,  with  a  long 
bushy  tail,  very  cowardly  and  voracious. 

Their  tone  is  not  a  howl,  but  a  whining  yell  ending  in  a 
short  quick  bark,  both  mournful,  monotonous  and  grating 
on  the  ear,  and  very  effectual  in  driving  away  sleep,  when 
surrounded  by  such  a  host  as  annoyed  us  that  night. 

July  12th.  The  prairie  around  our  camp  was  very  much 
broken,  and  the  soil  barren. 


WILD    PASSION    FLOWER.  107 


A  stroll,  in  search  of  better  grass,  brought  Lieut  C n 

and  myself  to  an  old  Indian  camp,  where  we  found  some 
beads  and  other  relics. 

We  also  saw  numerous  tracks  of  wild  horses,  where  they 
had  come  to  drink  at  a  water  hole  in  the  prairie,  which  was 
at  this  time  dry. 

Tarantulas  and  centipedes  abounded  in  great  numbers,  and 
we  made  quite  a  collection  of  very  large  specimens. 

Nightfall,  as  usual,  found  us  on  the  march,  but  on  account 
of  the  scarcity  of  water  we  made  slow  progress,  and  finding 
a  good  spring  on  the  open  prairie,  we  encamped  near  it. 

July  13th. — The  prairie  was  still  much  broken  and  rough, 
affording  a  fine  field  for  our  collections  in  natural  history, 
among  the  rocks  and  ravines.  "We  took  advantage  of  it,  and 
lizards,  rattlesnakes,  and  the  insect  tribe,  were  brought  in 
in  numbers. 

One  of  the  men  brought  me  a  most  singular  and  beautiful 
vine.  It  was  the  wild  passion  flower,  at  that  season  bearing 
both  fruit  and  flowers.  The  flower  is  similar  to  the  one 
known  in  the  conservatories  Xorth,  and  the  fruit  is  about  the 
size  of  a  nectarine,  of  a  brilliant  red  colour  on  the  outside  and 
orange  inside.  It  looked  very  inviting,  but  is  not  edible.  I 
collected  the  seeds,  however,  intending  to  try  how  it  will 
stand  our  northern  climate,  where,  should  it  flourish,  it  will 
make  a  most  graceful  and  gorgeous  ornament  for  the  arbor 
or  portico. 

We  marched  at  sunset,  Lieut.  P e  going  in  advance  to 


108  NOTES    TAKEN. 

find  water.  He  left  word  that  wherever  he  found  it  he  would 
build  a  fire  as  a  signal.  Several  hours  elapsed  when  we  saw 
a  fire  some  distance  off  the  road.  Supposing  of  course  that 

it  was  his,  Lieut.  C n  and  myself  rode  up  to  it,  when  we 

suddenly  found  ourselves  in  a  hunting  camp  of  Kickapoos. 

We  had  several  times  remarked  upon  the  scarcity  of  game 
on  our  route,  having  seen  only  an  occasional  deer,  and  those 
brought  in  by  the  Indians,  causing  them  to  hunt  long  dis- 
tances from  the  direct  line  of  march.  This  scarcity  was 
now  explained ;  the  Kickapoos  are  the  most  famous  hunters 
known,  and  when  they  pass  over  a  section  of  country  game 
almost  disappears  for  a  season. 

Their  plan  is  to  hunt  in  sufficient  numbers  to  cover  a 
long  line  of  country,  and  moving  forward  in  this  order,  with 
their  families,  pack-horses,  &c.,  they  sweep  off  every  thing 
before  them.  Their  women  were  busy  dressing  skins  and 
drying  venison.  The  skins  were  stretched  around  a  square 
frame,  made  of  poles  stuck  in  the  ground,  with  a  fire  built  in 
the  middle  ;  the  meat  they  cut  in  long  thin  strips  and  laid  it 
on  top  of  poles  bent  into  a  semicircle,  forming  a  kind  of 
large  coop,  and  then  built  a  slow  fire  underneath. 

It  was  a  wild  scene,  at  the  murk  hour,  to  come  upon  these 
naked  dusky  savages  bustling  in  the  lurid  glare  of  their 
fires,  and  looking  like  so  many  demons  from  the  background 
where  we  stood. 

We  found  tolerable  water  near  them,  both  in  quantity  and 
quality,  and  concluded  to  encamp  for  the  night. 


KICKAPOOS.  109 

After  pitching  tents  we  visited  them  again,  when  they 
offered  us  some  venison  and  seemed  quite  friendly. 

An  old  and  very  gaudy  dressing-gown  which  I  wore, 
attracted  their  particular  attention,  and  one  of  the  squaws 
attempted  to  gratify  her  curiosity  by  handling  me  with  her 
great  greasy  paws,  but  I  kept  moving  round  about  and 
avoided  contact,  as  nothing  could  be  more  disgusting  than 
these  copper-colored  greasy  wenches,  naked  except  a  filthy 
rag  around  their  loins,  their  skins  reeking  with  perspiration, 
and  hair  matted  and  uncombed.  We  soon  gratified  our 
curiosity  and  returned  to  camp. 

Just  as  we  were  about  to  retire  to  our  blankets,  voices 
were  heard  in  the  distance  and  two  young  officers  from  the 
fort  drove  up,  giving  us  the  intelligence  that  the  Captain  and 
the  Doctor  were  safe,  and  that  eight  miles  further  we  should 
reach  the  Cottonwood  Spring,  a  well-known  camping-ground 
for  troops  passing  to  and  fro,  and  the  spot  designated  by  the 
Captain  where  we  were  to  await  his  return  with  Major 
Neighbours  and  the  additional  Indian  hunters  and  guides. 

It  was  now  midnight,  but  the  order  was  given,  and  in  a 
short  time  we  were  off  to  the  cool  water,  where  we  arrived 
just  as  day  dawned ;  fatigued,  but  fortunate  in  reaching  the 
only  really  good  water  we  had  had  since  leaving  the  Basin 
Spring.  A  few  hours  sleep  and  we  were  all  right  again. 

10* 


110  NOTES   TAKEN. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

CAMP    AT    THE    COTTON    WOOD    SPRING. 

Officers  leave.— Dofcription  of  Camp — Wild  Indians  come  in.— Treatment  of 
Squaws.— Visit  of  the  Indians.— Indian  Bivouac.— Departure  of  Indians  — 
Captain  and  party  arrive.— Major  Neighbours.— Description  of  our  Indian 
Corps. 

July  14th. — The  young  officers  returned  to  the  fort  this 
morning,  accompanied  by  Lieutenant  P e,  leaving  Lieu- 
tenant C n,  and  myself  alone  in  camp. 

We  were  encamped  in  a  pleasant  mesquite  grove,  in  sight 
of  the  cool  spring,  and  though  the  weather  was  hot,  a  fine 
breeze  so  tempered  the  atmosphere  that  our  stay  was  very 
reviving  after  night  marches,  with  muddy  rain-water  to  drink. 

Whilst  lying  in  our  tents,  about  noon,  we  descried  some 
objects  advancing  over  the  brow  of  the  hill  in  front  of  camp, 
and  soon  found  them  to  be  a  party  of  To-wac-o-nies  and 
Waco's  on  their  return  from  Fort  Belknap. 

They  halted  a  short  distance  from  our  camp,  and  the  women 
commenced  putting  up  their  temporary  shelter,  from  sun  and 
storm,  which  they  constructed  of  boughs,  skins,  blankets,  &c. 

The  chief — (an  ugly  old  creature,  a  fac  simile  of  a  super- 
annuated monkey,)  soon  rode  up,  and  dismounting  near  his 
half  finished  lodge,  threw  himself  upon  the  grass,  whilst 
his  wife — about  to  become  a  mother- — stopped  her  work, 


AK-A-QUAPir.  Ill 

immediately,  to  unbridle,  unsaddle  and  tether  his  horse,  for  of 
course,  he  disdained  the  smallest  labour  or  assistance  to  her. 

The  principal  use  the  wild  Indian  makes  of  his  wife  or 
wives  is  to  wait  upon  him,  she  takes  his  horse  and  attends 
to  it  when  he  halts,  saddles,  bridles  and  brings  it  up  when  he 
wishes  to  ride,  cooks  his  meals,  puts  up  the  temporary 
lodge  or  shealting,  and  dresses  what  skins  may  be  obtained 
in  the  chase,  in  fact,  does  all  the  manual  labour  necessary  in 
their  wandering  life. 

Her  lord  lounges,  sleeps,  drinks,  smokes,  eats,  fights, 
hunts,  and  not  unfrequently,  rewards  her  with  a  sound 
drubbing,  the  only  extra  physical  exertion  he  ever  makes. 

In  the  afternoon,  the  old  chief  made  us  a  visit.  He  was  full 
of  affection  for  the  whites,  and  showed  us  a  certificate  of 
character,  (no  doubt  written  by  some  worthless  scamp,  as 
we  ascertained  the  old  fellow  to  be  a  most  arrant  knave 
and  horse-thief,)  from  which  we  learned  his  name  to  be 
Ak-a-quash. 

He  was  very  importunate  in  his  begging  propensities,  and 
not  at  all  modest  in  his  demands,  as  the  sequel  proved. 

He  wanted  meat,  tobacco,  flour,  coffee  and  sugar,  not  salt 
meat  either,  for  that  he  got  at  Belknap  ;  and  taking  up  some 
yellow  sand  in  his  fingers,  he  said,  "  Belknap  suker  so." 
Meaning  that  he  wanted  white  sugar  ;  pretty  well  for  a  wild 
Indian,  living  the  precarious  life  they  do.  We  told  him  he 
must  be  satisfied  with  what  he  could  get,  not  what  he  wanted, 
nnd  ho  did  not  refuse  what  we  offered  him. 


112  NOTES   TAKEN. 

Soon  after,  the  whole  gang  gathered  round,  and  then  such  a 
chattering  among  the  squaws,  like  so  many  monkeys,  running 
round  and  handling  every  thing  and  begging  for  every  thing 
they  saw. 

A  son  of  the  old  Chief  made  his  appearance  last,  in  full 
court  costume,  and  a  most  laughable  sight  he  was. 

He  had  on  a  pair  of  moccasins,  leggings  made  out  of  an  old 
pair  of  soldier's  pantaloons,  a  blue  breech  cloth,  and  an  old 
greasy,  summer  sack  coat,  over  which  he  wore  an  old 
fashioned  full  uniformed  infantry  coat  minus  one  tail,  the 
other,  as  Ak-a-quash  told  us,  having  been  cut  off  by  one  of 
his  comrades  to  get  at  his  bottle  of  whiskey,  whilst  he  lay 
drunk  and  asleep  at  Fort  Belknap.  His  face  was  painted 
half  a  dozen  colours,  his  ears  loaded  down  with  large  brass 
rings,  and  with  a  shock  head  of  hair,  to  one  of  the  side  locks 
of  which  was  attached  an  old  red  worsted  comforter,  he  pre- 
sented the  most  ludicrous  figure  imaginable,  more  particularly 
as  he  seemed  so  well  pleased  with  himself,  and  strutted  about 
like  a  young  turkey  cock. 

Among  his  other  accomplishments  he  had  learned  to  swear, 
and  kept  repeating  two  oaths  constantly  in  all  he  had  to  say. 

How  strange  the  perversion,  that  man,  whether  civilized  or 
savage,  is  so  apt  to  copy  vice,  so  slow  to  imitate  virtue  ! 

To  attempt  to  teach  the  savage  to  read,  to  write,  to  sow,  to 
reap,  is  a  thankless  undertaking ;  to  learn  him  to  smoke,  to 
drink,  to  swear,  can  be  effected  in  the  shortest  time,  and  by 
any  tyro  in  vicious  indulgence. 


THE    DANDY..  113 

Pretty  soon,  however,  the  young  dandy  had  his  pride  and 
consequence  humbled. 

Ak-a-quash  was  very  importunate  for  something  to  drink, 
and  as  we  had  no  spirits  of  any  kind  to  give  him,  we  offered 
him  some  lemonade,  made  with  citric  acid  and  oil  of  lemon. 
He  drank  it  quite  greedily,  which  the  youth  observing,  held 
out  his  hand  for  a  glassful;  he  drank  it,  but  it  proved  too 
much  for  his  stomach,  irritated  by  his  late  debauch  ;  a  pipe 
of  tobacco  and  the  acid  together,  to  use  a  common  saying, 
fixed  him,  the  consequences  I  leave  to  imagination,  suffice  it 
to  say  he  left  as  soon  as  he  could  get  the  use  of  his  legs. 

By  this  time  they  had  become  very  annoying  to  us,  the  day 
was  oppressively  hot,  and  the  squaws  keeping  up  such  a  chat- 
tering and  running  around,  and  the  necessity  of  watching 
them  closely  to  prevent  them  stealing,  so  that  ordering  up  the 
commissary  corporal,  some  beef,  flour  and  sugar  were  handed 
to  them,  and  pointing  to  the  hill-top,  we  told  them  as  plainly 
as  signs  could,  to  be  off,  which  they  did,  not  before,  however, 
making  another  attack  upon  our  sugar  bowl  and  tobacco  box. 

I  obtained  a  great  curiosity  from  one  of  the  sub  chiefs  in 
this  party.  It  was  a  pair  of  ear-rings  made  out  of  a  species  of 
sea  shell  variegated  and  brilliant.  They  are  said  to  be  brought 
from  the  islands  of  the  Pacific  Coast,  and  to  find  their  way 
to  these  wanderers  through  the  traders.  They  were  very 
large  and  massive. 

The  sub  chief  was  badly  shod,  having  on  an  old  pair  of  torn 
prunella  gaiter  boots.  He  took  a  fancy  to  a  pair  of  stout 


114  NOTES   TAKEN. 

walking  shoes  I  had,  but  chaffered  a  good  while  before  bar- 
gaining. He  was  willing  to  give  one  for  both,  but  I  said  by 
signs,  one -ear-ring,  one  shoe;  he  took  it,  supposing  perhaps 
that  I  would  give  him  the  other,  but  after  waiting  awhile  he 
pointed  to  the  other  shoe  and  held  out  his  other  ear-ring,  when 
I  gave  him  the  shoe,  took  the  ear-ring,  and  he  went  off  satis- 
fied. 

These  Indians  go  entirely  naked,  except  the  breech  cloth, 
unless  chance  or  crime  throws  some  garment  into  their  way, 
and  laughable  enough  they  look  sometimes,  as  for  instance — 
One  of  the  squaws  had  not  an  article  of  clothing  on  her  but 
an  old  filthy  rag  round  her  loins,  and  a  gay  calico  sun  lonnct 
on  Jier  head. 

The  squaws  were  tattoed  on  the  breast  and  face ;  in  lines 
on  the  face,  and  circles  on  the  breasts. 

Their  young  children — of  which  there  were  six  or  eight  with 
the  party — were  entirely  naked — not  wearing  the  breech  cloth 
— but  seemed  healthy,  and  were  amusing  themselves  with 
miniature  bows  and  arrows. 

In  the  evening,  Lieutenant  C n  and  myself  visited 

their  bivouac,  when  they  all  came  out  "in  puris  naturalibus," 
and  danced  to  the  devil's  tattoo,  beat  upon  the  bottom  of  a 
tin  can  by  one  of  the  men,  a  wild,  monotonous  chaunt  being 
kept  up  at  the  same  time  by  the  dancers,  varied  by  short 
yells  and  grunts,  upon  the  whole  a  very  disgusting  scene,  as 
young  "sans"  coat  tail  swore  a  great  deal,  and  took  liberties 
with  the  squaws  not  very  agreeable  to  eyes  polite. 


THE    SQUAWS.  115 

One  old  squaw,  with  a  head  of  long,  matted  white  hair, 
pointed  first  to  the  stalwart  men  among  the  dancers  and 
then  to  her  naked,  shrivelled  breasts,  thereby  informing  us 
that  five  of  them  were  her  sons,  and  then  pointing  to  one  of 
the  squaws  and  a  boy  along  side,  showed  by  signs  that  he  was 
her  grandson.  She  also,  by  raising  her  hands  seven  times, 
with  her  fingers  spread  open,  informed  us  she  was  seventy 
years  old. 

We  soon  left,  quite  satisfied  that  were  we  to  take  them 
prisoners  and  either  confine  or  kill  them,  in  either  case 
we  would  be  doing  good  service,  for  except  their  greater 
capacity  for  mischief,  there  was  no  difference  between  them 
and  the  wolves,  which  at  the  time,  were  keeping  their  nightly 
patrol  around  camp  in  search  of  plunder. 

July  15th. — The  Indians  left  this  morning,  passing  by  our 
camp  in  true  Indian  style,  viz.,  Ak-a-quash  first,  carrying 
nothing  but  his  weapons,  then  the  men  of  the  party,  and  last, 
the  squaws,  some  with  a  child  tied  in  a  bag  and  fastened 
around  her  loins,  or  seated  upon  a  bundle  of  skins,  upon  the 
horse's  croup. 

The  women  rode  astride,  and  their  duty  was  to  drive  the 
pack  horses  and  take  care  of  the  baggage,  this  being  done 
even  by  the  aged  squaw,  naked  and  bareheaded,  but  astride 
upon  a  pack,  and  armed  with  a  whip,  labouring  away  at  the 
straggling  pack  horses,  whilst  her  great  louts  of  sons  and 
grandsons  rode  along,  listless,  naked,  and  brutal,  thinking  of 
nothing  but  where  they  should  get  their  next  meal,  or  steal 


116  NOTES   TAKEN. 

their  next  lot  of  horses ;  truly,  thought  I,  what  is  the  use  in 
spending  time  and  money  at  this  age  of  the  world,  to  en- 
courage such  brutality  and  vice. 

In  the  evening  the  Captain,  Doctor,  and  Major  Neigh- 
bours arrived.  They  brought  with  them  three  Delawares 
and  a  Shawnee,  the  addition  to  our  Indian  force  which  we 
expected,  thus  making  our  corps  of  guides  and  hunters  six 
strong. 

Major  Neighbours  was  a  fine  looking  man,  in  the  full  vigour 
of  manhood,  about  six  feet  two  inches  in  height,  with  a  coun- 
tenance indicative  of  great  firmness  and  decision  of  character. 

He  was  the  Indian  Agent  for  Texas,  and  joined  the  expe- 
dition to  assist  in  the  explorations  and  locations,  a  ser-vice 
which  his  great  experience  and  judgment  peculiarly  fitted 
him  for. 

The  Delawares  and  Shawnees  fraternizing  so  well,  are 
often  employed  together  on  such  expeditions. 

The  new-comers  were  well  known  to  our  two  quondam 
hunters,  and  observing  that  they  all  had  the  same  Christian 
name,  and  called  each  other  brother,  I  was  curious  to  ascer- 
tain how  so  many  brothers  could  have  the  same  name.  Upon 
inquiry  I  found  they  were  children  of  sisters,  consequently 
cousins.  We  now  had  John  Connor,  John  Jacobs,  Jo.hn 
Wagon,  John  Jackson,  John  Jacobs,  juu.,  and  John  Hunter, 
the  Shawnee. 

John  Connor  was  the  leader  and  interpreter.  He  was  a 
fine,  portly  man,  about  forty-five  years  old,  and  very  light 


THE    SHAWNEE.  117 

complexioned,  with  long  black  hair  and  moustache,  more  like 
an  Arab  than  an  Indian. 

The  costume  of  this  party  consisted  of  hunting-shirt,  leg- 
gins,  breech  cloth  and  moccasins  ;  their  accoutrements  simple 
and  entirely  for  service.  They  carried  flint-locked  rifles,  with 
a  knife,  powder-horn  and  ball-pouch,  an  awl,  charger,  and  a 
whetstone  in  a  case,  all  slung  to  a  broad  belt,  and  ready  to 
put  on  at  a  moment's  warning.  In  addition  they  carried  pis- 
tols, as  one  of  them  observed,  "  May  be  so  now  we  got  two 
shoots,  any  how." 

The  Shawnee  was  a  noble  specimen  of  his  race.  His  com- 
plexion was  a  dark,  reddish  copper ;  his  figure  short,  athletic, 
|pd  all  bone  and  muscle.  He  wore  a  black  moustache,  and 
disdaining  any  head  gear,  with  a  bushy  growth  of  black  hair, 
looked  the  very  embodiment  of  wild  vigor  and  endurance, 
either  for  the  fight  or  the  chase. 

We  found  him  to  be  a  splendid  hunter,  bold  rider,  and, 
though  only  twenty-two  years  old,  a  very  reliable  guide. 

We  felt  all  the  safer  for  this  addition  to  our  forces,  and  com- 
menced our  doubtful  and  dangerous  journey  under  most 
favorable  auspices,  our  men  being  all  in  fine  health. 


11 


118  NOTES    TAKEN. 


CHAPTEE  X. 

COTTONWOOD    SPRING    TO   DIVIDING    RIDGE. 

Leave  the  road. — Description  of  country  'from  Red  River. — Stock  raising  in 
Texas. — Buck  killed. — Indian  cookery. — Description  of  Bluifs. — Kickapoo 
grave. — Cactus  seen. — Deer  called  up  by  bleat. — Mesquite  Beans. — Bridging 
Ravines.— Black  Flies.— Cross  Crater.— Snakes  shot.— Arrive  at  Little  Witch- 
ita  —  Mesquite  Grass.— Indian  signs.— Manner  of  lariating.— Valley  of  "VVitch- 
ita. — Fine  scenery  on  the  Plains. — Antelope  killed. — Anxiety  about  Horses. — 
Jackass  Rabbit  killed. — Breezes  on  the  Plains. — Exploring  Party  leave. — Ar- 
rive at  branch  of  Big  Witchita.— Repairing  Wagons.— Intense  weather.— 
Effect  of  the  atmosphere.— Oxen  missing.— Reach  the  Little  Witchita.— Ex- 
ploring Party  return. — Insects  on  the  Plains. — Fawn  chase. — Camanche  graves. 
—Reach  the  Divide.  £ 

JULY  16th. — So  far  we  had  had  the  advantage  of  the 
military  road  from  Fort  Washita  to  assist  us  with  our  heavy 
train.  We  had  now  to  leave  this  and  striking  into  the  vast 
plains  which  compose  unexplored  Texas,  to  travel  entirely 
by  compass,  make  our  own  roads,  and  trust  to  the  state  of 
the  case  for  water,  grass,  and  whatever  else  might  be  neces- 
sary to  accomplish  the  objects  of  our  expedition. 

From  Ked  Eiver  to  this  point,  nothing  can  surpass  the 
facilities  of  the  country  for  stock-raising,  sufficient  to  mark 
Texas  as  the  great  stock-yard  of  our  country  in  the  future. 

The  same  advantages  prevail  here  that  exist  in  those 
countries  where  stock-raising  is  followed  as  a  business,  and 
will  attain  the  same  results. 


CATTLE    BREEDING.  119 

Water  is  plenty,  the  whole  country  being  intersected  with 
creeks  and  rivers,  and  although  the  season  was  unprecedently 
dry,  we  met  with  no  scarcity  even  on  our  narrow  line  of 
march. 

The  grass  remains  green  and  nutritious  throughout  the 
winter-months,  and  there  is  plenty  of  timber  for  building  or 
firewood  for  the  herdsman. 

There  are  in  Texas  between  one  and  two  millions  of  horned 
cattle,  and  the  same  management  prevails  throughout  the 
State.  The  plan  is  to  sell  out  all  the  beeves  from  four  years 
old  and  upwards.  The  cows  are  never  sold  or  killed  for 
beef,  but  kept  expressly  for  breeding.  The  increase  in  stock 
cattle  is  twenty-five  per  cent."  annually,  and  in  some  instances 
more.  This  compounded  yearly  will  produce  in  a  series  of 
years  immense  results.  This  increase  is  certain,  for  cattle 
seldom  die  except  from  old  age.  The  territory  is  large 
enough  to  cut  five  states  as  large  as  New  York  out  of  it, 
and  with  such  economy  in  management  and  such  facilities  of 
range,  who  can  realize  what  immense  herds  will  eventually 
roam  all  over  these  prairies,  or  the  immense  income  Texas 
will  receive  from  this  source  alone. 

After  breaking  up  camp,  we  gradually  ascended  in  a  north- 
west course,  over  a  rolling  country,  covered  with  buffalo 
grass  and  mesquite  timber,  stopping  every  few  miles  to 
admire  the  fine  panorama  stretched  out  before  us,  vast  and 
picturesque  as  it  was,  and  enjoying  the  delicious  breeze, 
which  though  the  thermometer  stood  at  one  hundred  in  the 


120  NOTES   TAKEN. 

shade  -was  exhilarating  and  refreshing,  our  party  all  in  fine 
spirits  and  full  of  enthusiasm  for  the  new  scenes  we  were  to 
pass  through. 

After  an  hour  or  two's  march,  one  of  our  party  saw  a 
blanket  tied  to  a  mesquite  tree,  and  fluttering  in  the  distance. 
Such  signals  are  always  to  be  approached  with  caution  on 
the  plains,  as  they  are  almost  invariably  a  decoy  of  some 
lurking  savage,  who  thus,  by  exciting  curiosity,  lures  his 
victim  within  range  of  the  deadly  rifle  or  arrow. 

Approaching  it  cautiously,  our  guide,  John  Conner,  gave 
us  the  agreeable  intelligence,  that  John  Jacobs,  who  had 
been  sent  in  advance  to  seek  for  water  and  camping  ground, 
had  shot  a  fat  buck  and  took  this  means  of  calling  our  atten- 
tion to  it ;  and  a  noble  specimen  he  was,  very  fat,  with  a  full 
head  of  horns  just  in  the  velvet,*  so  that  instead  of  a  Caman- 
che,  we  had  caught  a  gem  for  the  larder.  He  was  soon 
skinned  and  ready  for  transportation  to  camp. 

We  marched  on,  with  the  rays  of  a  glorious  sunset  pro- 
longing the  evening  until  a  late  hour  shining  upon  us,  and 

*  Bucks  first  have  horns  when  three  years  old. — Tlie  horns  are  then  short  and 
unbranching. 

They  shed  them  every  year,  and  each  succeeding  head  of  horns  has  an  addi- 
tional branch. 

Whilst  the  horns  are  growing  to  full  size,  they  are  covered  with  a  soft  velvety 
Bkin.  This  is  what  is  meant  by  horns  in  the  velvet. 

The  horns  now  begin  to  itch  and  make  the  animal  restless,  who  to  relieve 
himself  rubs  them  in  the  bushes  and  against  the  trees  until  the  velvet  disap- 
pears, and  the  solid  bone  is  discovered  underneath.  At  the  time  of  rubbing  off 
the  velvet,  the  bucks  have  a  singular  appearance,  the  whole  head  audneck  being 
covered  with  blood  and  the  velvety  skin  hanging  in  shreds  from  the  horns. 


INDIAN    COOKERY.  121 

encamped  upon  so  fine  a  stream  that  in  anticipation  of 
future  wants  the  Captain  ordered  our  water-barrels  to  be 
filled. 

The  Major,  an  old  campaigner,  whose  mouth  had  been 
watering  for  a  taste  of  the  juicy  buck,  immediately  gave 
orders  to  one  of  the  Indian  corps,  and  soon  the  smoking  ribs 
invited  us  to  a  feast  which  needed  no  Appician  appetite  to 
enjoy. 

The  way  in  which  Indians  cook  venison  is  peculiar.  Sharp- 
ening a  stick  at  both  ends,  the  meat  is  spitted  upon  it,  the 
stick  stuck  in  the  ground  near  a  blazing  fire  and  the  meat 
watched  closely,  turning  it  occasionally  until  the  gravy 
begins  to  run,  when  with  the  simple  addition  of  salt  a  morsel 
is  prepared  which  once  tasted  leaves  a  lasting  impression 
upon  the  palate,  light  and  easy  of  digestion,  and  carrying  no 
nightmare  with  it.  We  enjoyed  it  fully,  and  slept  soundly 
under  the  effects. 

July  17th. — "We  marched  at  sunrise,  our  course  still  north- 
west. In  a  short  time  the  scene  changed,  and  we  were  amidst 
the  first  bold  scenery  we  had  yet  encountered.  Long  ranges 
of  precipitous  bluffs  bounded  the  horizon,  looking  like  so 
many  barriers  to  our  future  progress.  These  bluffs  were  of 
igneous  formation,  and  afforded  a  fine  field  for  the  geologist. 

In  many  places  large  slabs  of  sandstone  were  poised  upon 
pencils  of  red  clay,  looking  like  a  miniature  Stone  Henge.  or 
the  ruins  of  the  Pantheon,  the  whole  presenting  a  singular 

feature  in  the  landscape. 

11* 


122  NOTES   TAKEN. 

We  found  some  curious  specimens  of  the  cactus — perfectly 
round  and  flat,  not  more  than  three  or  four  inches  thick,  but 
many  of  them  five  feet  in  diameter. 

We  also  passed  a  Kickapoo  grave,  which  our  guide  pointed 
out  to  us,  and  described  their  manner  of  burial.  He  said, 
"  He  dig  him  hole  deep  like  man,  den  stick  him  in  head  up, 
and  may  be  so  he  leave  him," — a  singular  mode  of  burial, 
truly. 

A  doe  and  buck  were  called  up  on  the  open  prairie  by  means 
of  the  bleat,  showing  how  effectual  this  little  instrument  is  in 
expert  hands.  One  of  our  amateurs  tried  a  shot  at  them,  but 
failed  to  hit,  and  they  bounded  off  over  the  plain  and  were 
soon  lost  to  sight. 

We  crossed  the  west  fork  of  the  Trinity,  and  after  nooning 
proceeded  to  make  a  bridge  of  gum  elastic  timber  over  a  ravine 
that  ran  across  our  course.  This  tree  is  not  the  caoutchouc, 
but  takes  its  name  from  the  berry,  which  is  edible,  and  like 
the  prepared  gum  elastic  of  commerce,  is  springy. 

The  mesquite  trees  here  began  to  show  the  beans,  which 
are  similar — though  narrower — to  the  honey  locust,  and  being 
full  of  saccharine  matter,  our  Indians  seemed  very  fond  of 
them,  pulling  and  eating  them  by  handfuls  as  they  rode  along. 

The  wild  passion-flower  also  abounded  here  in  great  pro- 
fusion, festooning  the  trees  and  looking  very  tempting,  relieved 
by  the  deep  green  foliage.  I  collected  a  good  store  of  the 
seeds. 

After  crossing  the  ravine,  we  passed  through  a  succession 


BLACK    FLIES.  123 

of  low  hills,  giving  us,  at  every  few  moments,  beautiful 
changes  of  scenery,  and  at  sunset  encamped  upon  a  small 
fork  of  the  Trinity. 

To-day,  our  oxen  suffered  terribly  from  the  attacks  of  large 
black  flies,  which  came  in  myriads. 

They  were  as  large  as  humble  bees,  and  very  voracious ; 
their  probosces  inflicting  wounds  deep  enough  to  keep  the 
blood  flowing  after  the  insects  fell  off  from  repletion. 

We  felt  very  anxious  about  our  stock,  as  these  flies,  with 
scarcity  of  water,  which  we  expected  to  encounter,  would  tell 
most  fearfully  upon  them,  but  hoped,  as  we  rose  higher,  to 
get  rid  of  them. 

July  18th. — Our  course  to-day  was  West,  towards  the  head 
waters  of  the  Little  Witchita,  passing  through  fine  ranges  of 
bluffs,  affording  many  fine  views,  but  the  country  so  broken 
that  the  working  party  were  constantly  employed  bridging 
creeks,  ravines  and  branches. 

We  passed  through  the  crater  of  an  old  volcano,  which 
must  have  been  in  activity  before  the  flood,  from  surrounding 
indications,  the  ground  being  covered  with  scoriae,  among 
which  were  found  fossils. 

The  Major  shot  a  prairie  snake,  a  species  of  adder,  about 
eleven  feet  long,  and  a  rattlesnake,  a  most  formidable  reptile, 
full  seven  feet  long,  with  teeth  an  eighth  of  an  inch  in  length, 
and  eleven  rattles.  Both  these  specimens  were  prepared  for 
our  collection. 

Happening  to  remark  that  I  thought  it  fortunate  rattle- 


124  NOTES   TAKEN. 

snakes  were  so  seldom  met  with,  Conner  replied,  "  may  be  so, 
in  de  timber  and  valley,  dere  you  catch  him  great  many,  out 
here  in  de  prairie,  fire  burn  all  up." 

Every  one  that  we  met  with  was  sure  to  be  despatched, 
and  though  the  dimensions  given  appear  fabulous,  yet  I  can 
vouch  for  their  accuracy,  for  their  size  so  astonished  me,  that 
I  was  minute  enough  to  measure  each  one  described  with  a 
tape  line. 

We  nooned  under  a  live  oak,  the  first  specimen  we  had 
met  with.  All  the  timber  thus  far,  from  the  Belknap  road, 
having  been  gum  elastic,  iresquite,  and  a  few  cotton  wood 
trees  near  the  streams. 

In  the  afternoon  we  marched  only  one  mile,  and  reaching  a 
branch  of  the  Little  Witchita,  found  that  so  much  work  was 
to  be  done,  bridging  the  stream  and  digging  down  the  banks, 
that  we  could  not  expect  to  cross  before  sundown,  which  we 
did,  and  encamped  in  an  old  Kickapoo  camp,  on  a  plain 
covered  with  mesquite  grass.  I  employed  the  evening  in 
gathering  the  seed,  now  fully  ripe,  with  the  intention  of 
introducing  it  into  the  Northern  States.  This  grass,  having 
a  long  head  upon  it  like  oats,  yields  two  crops  during  the 
year,  is  very  hardy  and  good  alike  either  for  pasture  or 
fodder;  the  cultivation  of  it  among  the  farmers  in  Texas 
who  have  tried  it,  has  proved  very  flattering  and  productive. 

At  this  camp — plenty  of  Indian  signs  being  visible — much 
additional  precaution  was  taken,  horse  stealing  being  a  uni- 
versal propensity  with  HIP  savapo.  Their  plan  is  to  crawl 


MANNER    OF   LARIATING.  125 

into  camp,  unlariat  a  horse,  and  springing  upon  his  back  start 
off  at  full  speed,  thus  making  a  stampede  among  the  others, 
which  is  generally  successful. 

The  government  tried  the  experiment — some  years  since — 
of  hobbling  the  dragoon  horses — when  on  the  plains — with 
iron  hobbles,  but  had  to  abandon  it,  as  the  Indians  invariably 
killed  the  horse  when  they  could  not  get  him  off. 

Our  horses  during  the  trip  were  all  secured  by  rope  lariats 
thirty  feet  long,  fastened  round  their  necks  with  an  iron  picket 
pin,  about  eighteen  inches  long,  at  one  end,  to  be  driven  into 
the  ground. 

The  Delawares  secured  their  horses  by  fastening  a  short 
loop  of  raw  hide  around  both  fore  legs,  below  the  knees,  so  that 
the  horse  could  only  move  slowly  and  by  a  succession  of  jumps, 
something  like  a  kangaroo.  Another  plan  is  to  fasten  the 
long  lariat  around  the  fetlock,  but  the  greatest  precaution 
fails  to  secure  stock  inevitably  from  the  wily  savage,  as 
sometimes  a  party  will  dress  in  skins,  having  bundles  of  deer's 
hoofs  attached,  and  carrying  rattles  made  of  the  hoofs  in 
their  hands,  then  near  morning  when  all  is  quist  they  sweep 
through  camp  with  loud  yells  and  rattling  of  the  hoops,  and 
creating  a  panic  amongst  the  animals  are  generally  success- 
ful to  some  extent ;  often,  however,  sweeping  off  the  whole 
herd. 

July  19th. — Moving  to-day  in  a  north-west  course,  we  had 
a  fine  view  of  the  valley  of  the  Witchita. 

Towering  in  the  background  were  the  long  battlemented 


126  NOTES   TAKEN. 

bluffs  lining  the  opposite  shore  of  the  river  below,  the  green 
belt  of  timber  marking  its  course,  and  in  front  the  wide  prairie 
with  its  yellow  coating  of  buffalo  grass,  studded  with  the  pale 
green  mesquite,  a  beautiful  combination  for  a  landscape  paint- 
ing. 

My  wonder  has  been  throughout  my  journey  that  so  few 
if  any  of  our  artists  ever  join  expeditions  to  the  plains.  A 
portfolio  could  soon  be  filled  with  novelties,  compared  with 
which  the  hackneyed  subjects  universally  to  be  found  on  sale 
or  exhibition  sink  into  mediocrity.  Every  variety  can  be 
found  there,  hill,  dale,  lake,  valley,  mountain,  river  and  plain, 
whilst  color,  tint,  light  and  shade  are  constant  in  quantity  and 
quality.  Let  but  the  experiment  be  tried,  and  prairie  scenery 
will  become  a  valued  gem  in  the  gallery. 

Why  is  it  that  no  one  returns  from  the  plains  disappointed. 
It  is  because  their  anticipations  have  been  doubly  realized. 
This  fact  is  to  my  mind  conclusive,  that  visits  of  artists  to  the 
plains  would  not  only  end  in  adorning  the  art,  but  give  a  better 
impression  of  that  comparatively  "terra  incognita."  I  say  a 
better,  not  a  full  impression,  for  to  be  fully  realized  it  must 
be  seen  and  passed  over. 

"We  nooned  near  another  crater,  which,  like  the  former,  was 
very  ancient;  the  ground  being  covered  with  scoriae,  worn 
and  abraded  by  time  and  weather.  We  found  a  new  species 
of  cactus,  growing  like  a  tree,  the  stalk  and  branches  having 
a  woody  fibre,  and  studded  with  the  thorny  pulp  peculiar  to 
that  plant. 


JACKASS    RABBIT.  127 

The  largest  rattlesnake  yet  killed  was  added,  by  the  Major's 
unerring  six  shooter,  to  our  collection — eight  feet  long  and 
eleven  rattles.  "Wagon  shot  a  buck  antelope,  the  first  we  had 
had  in  camp.  They  resemble  the  goat  more  than  the  deer, 
and  the  flesh  also  tastes  more  like  goat's  flesh. 

This  specimen — a  full  grown  buck — had  a  full  head  of  horns, 
short,  of  a  shining  black  color,  with  one  branch.  His  head 
was  an  ornament  to  our  collection. 

The  antelope  is  the  fleetest  animal  known  on  the  plains, 
greyhounds,  which  Captain  Marcy  had  with  him  on  a  former 
expedition,  never  having  been  able  to  overtake  one,  though 
they  ran  down  many  of  the  red  deer  and  jackass  rabbits.  He 
says  that  the  longer  the  chase  continued  between  the  antelope 
and  the  hounds,  the  greater  the  distance  seemed  to  be  between 
them. 

The  soil  was  red  clay  and  very  poor,  in  fact  all  the  soil 
thus  far  from  the  Belkuap  road,  was,  with  little  exception, 
very  thin. 

On  the  afternoon's  march  one  of  the  party  killed  a  jackass 
rabbit,  a  very  large  species,  called  jackass,  from  the  length  of 
its  ears.  It  resembles  the  English  hare  in  color  and  general 
appearance.  This  specimen  had  ears  nine  inches  long  and 
standing  perfectly  erect  upon  its  head  ;  its  body  from  tip  to 
tip  was  seventeen  inches  long,  and  height  ten  inches.  It 
made  a  very  savoury  breakfast  dish. 

We  reached  the  main  Witchita  for  our  evening  camp,  and 
after  a  bath  in  the  brackish  water  of  the  stream,  made  a 


128  NOTES    TAKEN. 

sumptuous  repast  off  the  ribs  of  the  antelope,  cooked  by  the 
inimitable  John  Hunter,  the  Shawnee,  the  very  pink  of  per- 
fection in  the  art  of  Indian  cookery. 

July  20th. — Our  Indian  scouts  having  reported  the  country 
beyond  our  camp,  in  the  direction  we  were  traveling,  inac- 
cessible to  our  heavy  train,  the  Captain  determined  to  rest 
during  the  day,  whilst  preparations  were  made  to  explore 
further  with  a  small  party  mounted  and  accompanied  by  pack 
mules. 

We  now  found  how  judicious  was  the  filling  of  our  water- 
barrels.  The  water  in  the  river  was  undrinkable  by  man, 
being  salt  and  bitter.  Our  animals  drank  it,  but  with  no 
good  results,  only  as  a  necessity.  It  gave  them  cramps, 
made  them  restless  and  emaciated,  and  in  the  end  would 
have  proved  fatal. 

We  had  plenty  of  water  in  our  barrels  and  were  quite 
comfortable,  though  the  day  was  oppressively  hot ;  thermo- 
meter over  one  hundred  in  the  shade ;  but  thanks  to  the 
delicious  breeze  of  the  plains,  we  suffered  but  little.  This  is 
a  striking  and  very  agreeable  feature  in  a  prairie  tour ;  the 
morning  opens  close  and  sultry  until  about  nine  o'clock,  when 
a  breeze  springs  up,  which,  not  altering  the  height  of  the 
thermometer,  renders  a  grade  of  one  hundred  in  the  shade, 
or  higher,  not  only  tolerable  but  pleasant.  This  continues 
throughout  the  day,  and  the  nights  are  cool  enough  for  a 
blanket. 


ANXIETIES.  129 

"We  were  now,  by  barometer,  fifteen  hundred  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  ocean. 

Our  horses  had  lately  become  a  source  of  great  anxiety  to 
us.  Accustomed  to  be  cornfed  and  stabled,  they  had  fallen 
off  terribly  since  fed  entirely  on  grass  and  picketed  in  the 
open  air,  but  this  was  not  all ;  no  horse  should  ever,  on  a 
trip  of  the  kind,  be  ridden  out  of  a  walk,  and  then  only  in 
extreme  cases ;  he  should  be  allowed  the  freedom  of  his 
head,  never  fretted  and  never  ridden  more  than  fifteen  miles 
in  a  day,  or  twenty  at  the  farthest. 

Now  no  man  could  be  more  careful  of  his  stock  than  Cap- 
tain Marcy,  but  with  all  his  watchfulness  and  daily  caution, 
it  was  impossible  to  control  the  wilfulness  of  some  and  the 
inadvertence  of  others ;  the  results  began  to  show  themselves, 
much  to  our  dissatisfaction.  The  best  kind  of  stock  for  such 
service  is  mules  and  Indian  ponies  ;  they  are  raised  in  the 
country  and  acclimated,  and  this  fact  was  clearly  proved  on 
our  trip,  for  whilst  those  we  had  were  fat  and  in  good 
spirits,  our  northern  horses  were  all  drooping  and  miserably 
thin.  As  for  oxen,  I  would  not  take  them  at  all,  or  if  I  did, 
always  the  Texas  cattle.  The  objections  I  make  to  them 
are  these  :  they  suffer  from  heat,  from  flies,  and  the  want  of 
water  is  to  them  destruction  ;  besides,  they  are  so  miserably 
slow.  I  should  take  mules  for  draught  or  packing,  and 
ponies  for  the  saddle.  I  know  that  objection  is  made  to 
horses  and  mules  on  account  of  the  depredations  of  the  wild 

Indians,  and  the  consequent  necessity  of  having  a  large  force 

12 


130  NOTES   TAKEN. 

of  men  to  guard  them  at  night,  but  it  does  seem  to  me  that 
the  anxiety  felt  when  horned  cattle  are  employed,  is  para- 
mount to  the  objection  ;  besides,  a  trip  could  be  made  in  less 
time  and  with  far  greater  comfort  and  less  loss. 

This  befng  the  birth-day  of  one  of  the  young  officers,  a 
ration  of  grog  was  issued  to  the  men. 

The  addition  to  our  collection  during  the  day  was  a  large 
snake,  perfectly  black,  with  red  lines  in  diamond  on  the 
back.  The  Indians  called  it  a  chicken  snake  ;  the  head 
showed  it  to  be  a  species  of  black  snake.  It  had  a  full-grown 
rabbit  in  its  maw  when  opened. 

A  slight  sprinkle  of  rain — the  first  for  six  weeks — followed 
by  a  brilliant  sunset,  closed  the  day. 

July  21st. — The  Captain,  Major,  Doctor,  and  Lieut.  P e, 

with  a  party  of  four,  including  two  Indians — an  essential  in 
all  expeditions  in  this  country — left  us  at  an  early  hour,  on 

their  exploring  tour,  leaving  Lieut.  C n  and  myself  alone 

in  camp. 

We  were  sorry  to  lose  the  Major,  even  for  a  short  season  ; 
since  he  joined  our  mess,  we  had  received  much  valuable 
information  and  entertainment  from  his  vivid  and  thrilling 
descriptions  of  frontier  life  in  Texas,  since  its  first  settlement, 
with  which  he  was  identified. 

A  plain,  practical  man,  of  sound  judgment,  great  energy 
and  common  sense,  he  spoke  "to  the  manor  born,"  no 
hearsay,  but  all  of  which  he  saw,  and  part  of  which  he  was. 
An  intercourse  of  fourteen  years  with  the  wild  Indian 


MAJOR   NEIGHBOURS.  131 

tribes,  gave  him  a  fund  of  information  and  insight  into  their 
habits,  wants,  and  the  best  means  of  treating  with  them — 
invaluable  to  him  in  his  official  capacity,  and  deeply  interest- 
ing to  the  ethnologist  and  tourist. 

The  Major  had  been  a  state  prisoner  twenty-two  months  in 
the  Castle  of  Perote,  during  the  Texas  revolution,  and  was  a 
fine  specimen  of  a  frontier  man  in  the  prime  of  life.  His  co- 
operation effected  the  best  results  for  the  expedition. 

The  Captain  having  left  directions  that  we  should  move  on 
slowly  in  the  direction  of  the  Little  Witchita,  and  there  wait 
his  return  with  the  exploring  party,  we  moved  the  train,  at 
eight,  A.  M.,  ten  miles,  to  good  water,  on  a  branch  of  the  Big 
Witchita. 

Our  course  had  been  northerly,  passing  over  a  most  sterile 
waste,  with  the  rocks  of  igneous  formation,  many  of  the  bluffs 
stratified  with  soapstone  and  abounding  in  fossil. 

One  of  the  Indians  shot  a  spotted  jackass  rabbit,  a  very 
curious  specimen,  spotted  similarly  to  those  kept  by  the  fan- 
ciers, evidently  not  of  pure  breed,  but  a  cross  between  the 
common  wild  rabbit  and  this  species.* 

The  day  was  intensely  hot,  thermometer  one  hundred  and 
two  degrees  in  the  shade ;  but  arrived  at  camp,  we  found  a 

*  I  have  been  met  with  an  objection  in  describing  this  specimen,  as  to  its 
origin,  but  I  can  find  no  evidence  that  species  of  the  same  genus  will  not  pro- 
pagate in  contact  with  other  species  of  the  same  genus.  On  the  contrary,  tho 
horse  and  the  ass  are  species  of  the  same  genus,  and  their  offspring,  the  mule; 
whilst  in  the  case  of  fowls  it  is  evidenced  constantly,  the  common  duck  and  Mus- 
covy producing  an  excellent  cross  for  the  table;  and  instances  are  known  of 
propagation  between  the  dog  and  the  wolf. 


132  NOTES    TAKEN. 

deep  running  stream,  filled  with  catfish,  gar  and  soft  turtles. 
We  also  found  a  number  of  large  specimens  of  the  pearl 
muscle,  a  beautiful  and  singular  bivalve,  which,  I  have  no 
doubt,  would  make  an  excellent  substitute  for  the  costly 
mother  of  pearl. 

During  the  day,  we  were  recalled  to  home  and  civilization, 
by  passing  through  at  least  an  acre  of  wild  rye,  looking  just 
ready  for  the  sickle,  an  incident  which  could  not  fail  to  make 
its  impression  upon  us  in  this  remote  spot. 

With  a  pleasant  bath,  and  a  hearty  supper  of  catfish  and 
coffee,  we  relished  our  evening  in  camp  more  than  ever,  our 
anxiety  about  water,  being  removed  for  the  present,  which 
with  our  thirsty  family  was  no  small  relief. 

July  22d. — I  spoke  of  the  stream  upon  which  we  were  now  . 
encamped,  as  a  running  stream,  and  to  explain.  What  is 
called  river,  creek,  or  rivulet,  in  this  country,  and  at  this 
season,  refers  to  the  course  of  the  stream,  not  one  in  fifty 
having  any  water  in  it,  except  where  the  rain-water  accu- 
mulates in  holes  in  the  bed,  or  some  tiny  spring  trickles  out 
from  the  bank,  no  wonder  then  at  the  anxiety  of  the  traveller. 
In  the  rainy  season,  the  contrary,  from  the  water  marks, 
must  be  the  case,  and  doubtless  then  the  country  is  impass- 
able, as  it  is  intersected  by  dry  beds  of  streams  in  every 
direction. 

We  had  enough,  and  to  spare,  at  this  camp,  and  so  halted 
for  the  day,  until  our  wagons  could  be  re-tired  and  prepared 
for  future  work.  The  effect  of  the  atmosphere  upon  wood  of 


THE   ATMOSPHERE.  133 

all  descriptions,  even  the  best  seasoned,  was  very  surprising, 
causing  it  to  shrink  and  dry  up  until  nails  drew  out  and  bands 
loosened,  requiring  constant  watching. 

The  only  way,  in  default  of  a  travelling  forge  to  cut  and  weld 
the  tires,  was  to  take  them  off  and  nail  round  the  wooden 
rims  of  the  wheels  thin  laths  of  pecan,  which  is  best  for  the 
purpose,  and  then  heating  the  tires,  draw  them  on  again. 
As  this  had  to  be  done  to  almost  every  wheel  on  our  wagons, 
we  were  fortunate  in  our  camp,  as  all  hands  worked  cheerfully 
now  that  water  was  plenty. 

The  atmosphere  had  the  same  drying  effect  upon  the  skin, 
and  one,  who  perspired  freely,  found  his  face — on  cooling  in 
the  wind — covered  with  a  fine  powder. 

There  was  no  dew,  and  so  bland  were  the  nights,  that  I 
preferred  sleeping  in  the  open  air,  which  I  observed  the  men 
did,  only  using  the  tents  as  a  protection  against  the  heat  of 
the  sun,  which  on  this  date  was  awful,  thermometer  at  ten  A.  M. 
one  hundred  and  two  degrees  in  the  shade  ;  we  were  of  course 
better  off  lying  still,  under  such  circumstances,  so  we  amused 
ourselves  with  reading,  writing  and  dozing  until  the  moonlight 
hours  for  sleep. 

Some  of  the  soldiers  amused  themselves  shooting  and  fish- 
ing, but  with  indifferent  success.  One  said  the  sun  was  so 
hot  that  the  fish  would  not  bite,  another  that  the  turkeys 
were  too  wild  to  get  a  shot  at  them,  all  having  every  reason 
but  the  right  one.  viz.,  their  inexperience  and  want  of  skill. 

John  Jacobs,  Jr.,  Indian-like,  saddled  his  horse  and  wont 
12* 


134  NOTES    TAKEN. 

off  by  himself.  Not  long  after,  to  the  surprise  and  mortifica- 
tion of  the  amateurs,  he  returned  with  a  deer  across  his  horse, 
two  turkeys  at  his  saddle-bow,  a  string  of  fish  in  his  hand,  and 
two  soft  turtles.  "  Ah,"  said  one  worthy,  "  he's  up  to  it,  he 
knows  the  places ;"  perhaps  he  had  never  been  nearer  than 
five  hundred  miles  to  this  place  in  his  life,  but  habit  was  his 
guide  and  secret  of  success. 

July  23d. — Early  dawn  found  us  all  ready  to  start,  but  after 
striking  tents  and  loading  wagons,  a  number  of  our  spare 
oxen  were  found  to  be  missing,  and  as  we  felt  that  no  doubt 
we  should  want  them  all,  in  the  future,  orders  were  given  to 
unpack  and  spend  the  day,  which  was  done  with  no  reluctance, 
the  weather  promising  to  be  so  intensely  hot,  and  as  it  proved, 
thermometer  as  yesterday  at  ten  A.  M.,  one  hundred  and  two 
degrees  in  the  shade.  Two  of  the  Indians  were  sent  off  in 
search  of  the  oxen.  Nothing  of  interest  occurred  except 
that  Jacobs  discovered  a  large  flock  of  turkeys  on  the  hill 
side,  and  singling  out  a  prime  gobbler  he  pursued  it  untiringly 
until  he  ran  it  down  into  camp  and  there  shot  it  with  his 
pistol,  a  truly  Indian  mode  of  amusement  on  a  hot  day. 

With  the  usual  routine  of  camp  the  day  passed  quietly, 
sunset  was  very  gorgeous,  and  many  meteors  were  seen  in 
the  evening,  principally  from  the  north-west.  Lieutenant 

C n  and  myself  made  ourselves  as  happy  as  circumstances 

would  admit,  enduring  the  heat,  and  sure  of  a  pleasant 
night. 

July  24th. — Our  indefatigable  aborigines  having  brought  in 


SOAP    PLANT.  135 

the  stray  oxen,  an  early  hour  found  us  steering  North,  over  a 
much  better  country,  and  at  eleven  A.  M.,  we  encamped  upon 
a  tributary  to  the  Little  Witchita,  where  we  found  good  water 
and  plenty  of  grass. 

As  the  exploring  party  had  fixed  no  day  for  their  return 
to  camp,  we  expected  to  be  detained  here  some  time,  but  in 
about  an  hour  after  our  arrival  they  came  into  camp,  all 
very  much  overcome  with  heat,  thirst  and  the  bad  water  of  the 
Big  Witchita,  which  they  explored  some  miles  towards  its 
mouth,  finding  a  very  barren  and  uninteresting  country,  with 
neither  grass  nor  water.  They  made  themselves  doubly  wel- 
come to  us,  as  they  brought  in  a  supply  of  honey,  which  they 
obtained  by  cutting  down  a  bee  tree.  They  also  brought 
some  grey  grouse,  and  the  Doctor  had  found  a  new  and  beau- 
tiful species  of  lily,  of  a  brilliant  purple,  the  petal  black  and 
cone-shaped.  As  the  Major  had  never  met  with  it  before,  we 
called  it  the  Camancke  Lily. 

Specimens  of  the  soap  plant  were  also  found  and  the  seed 
obtained.  This  plant  grows  like  the  palm,  and  the  Mexicans 
use  the  roots  for  manufacturing  a  very  fine  soap.  We  had 
a  fair  opportunity  of  testing  the  worth  of  this  soap,  as  the 
Major  had  brought  a  supply  with  him  from  home  when  he 
joined  our  camp.  It  has  a  very  soothing  effect  upon  the 
skin  when  suffering  from  the  attacks  of  insects,  or  irritation 
from  sunburn,  &c.  For  ordinary  purposes  it  is  as  good  as 
the  best. 

They  were   all   much    dissatisfied    and    prophesied    great 


136  NOTES   TAKEN. 

suffering  in  store  for  us  from  the  want  of  water,  not  a  very 
pleasant  reflection  for  us  under  such  an  intense  sun — ther- 
mometer one  hundred  and  four  degrees  in  the  shade.  The 
night  passed  restlessly  on  account  of  the  attacks  of  those 
humbugs  the  mosquitoes. 

Gnats,  flies,  mosquitoes,  &c.,  are  all  very  troublesome  on 
the  plains,  but  all  these  together  cannot  compare  to  the 
attacks  of  the  most  diminutive  of  the  whole  insect  family,  tlie 
red  bug.  This  little  atom — for  it  is  so  small  that  unless  upon 
a  shining  white  surface  one  cannot  see  it — is  of  a  brilliant 
scarlet,  and  buries  itself  in  the  skin  in  such  numbers  that  the 
whole  surface  becomes  the  color  of  the  insect,  causing  irrita- 
tion to  such  a  degree  that  the  contact  of  clothing  is  almost 
unsupportable. 

The  only  relief  is  to  bathe  in  a  strong  solution  of  salt  and 
water,  which  destroys  the  insect  and  allays  inflammation, 
although  the  remedy  is — for  a  time — almost  as  bad  as  the 
disease. 

July  25th. — The  morning  opened  sultry,  and  sunrise  found 
us  on  a  course  West  of  North,  and  entering  a  most  desolate 
region.  We  were  all  drooping,  when  about  nine  A.  M., 
Jacobs,  who  was  some  distance  ahead,  suddenly  turned  in  his 
saddles  and  discharging  his  rifle  at  a  beautiful  fawn,  gave  a 
whoop  and  started  in  pursuit. 

The  little  creature,  frightened,  came  bounding  directly 
along  our  line,  running  the  gauntlet  of  our  fire,  and  half  of 
those  mounted  started  after  it,  so  sympathetic  is  an  incident 


CAMANCHE    GRAVE.  137 

of  this  kind,  but  a  jaded  horse  and  a  hot  day,  are  poor 
assistants  in  a  chase,  so  it  ended  as  it  began,  in  smoke. 

A  rabbit  chase — more  successful — shortly  afterwards,  gave 
a  little  more  spirit  to  our  party,  but  our  apprehensions  about 
water,  soon  absorbed  every  other  thought.  Oxen  cannot  get 
along  without  it,  and  it  took  no  small  supply  for  our  stock. 

We  toiled  on  until  noon,  under  that  boiling  sun,  with  the 
thermometer  one  hundred  and  ten  degrees  in  the  shade — the 
climax  of  heat  during  our  trip — and  arriving  at  the  foot  of  a 
steep  bluff,  found  some  rainwater  in  a  hole  filled  with  snakes 
and  green  scum,  but  concluded  best  to  encamp  and  await  the 
return  of  Jacobs,  who  was  dispatched  ahead  to  seek  for  water. 

Ascending  the  bluffs,  to  get  a  better  view  of  water 
courses,  &c.,  we  found  two  Camanche  graves.  They  always 
bury  on  the  highest  peak  in  their  vicinity  at  the  time  of 
the  death.  The  grave  is  simply  a  hole  scratched  in  the 
ground,  large  enough  for  the  body,  and  stones  piled  on 
top,  whether  to  mark  it  or  as  a  protection  against  wolves 
I  know  not.  I  was  curious  to  open  one  of  these'  graves, 
and  had  commenced  operations  upon  it,  when  Conner  came 
up  and  with  mingled  awe  and  fear  in  his  countenance, 
remarked  "  May  be  so,  dis  people  dey  not  like  dat,"  so  I 
desisted.  I  afterwards  ascertained,  that  they  bury  a  corpse 
in  a  sitting  posture,  with  clothing,  &c.,  just  as  it  was  at  the 
time  of  death. 

From  the  top  of  the  bluff  Conner  said  he  could  see  the 
course  of  the  Brazos  about  forty  miles  off,  and  gave  us  some 


138  NOTES   TAKEN. 

encouragement,  (as  many  green  spots  and  lines  could  be  seen, 
marking  holes  or  courses,)  that  relief  was  at  hand  in  the 
shape  of  water,  so  that  our  camp  wore  a  more  cheering 
aspect,  though  I  observed  the  men  made  such  frequent  visits 
to  the  water-barrels  that  a  guard  had  to  be  placed  over 
them,  their  minds  dwelling  so  constantly  upon  thirst  as  no 
doubt  to  increase  it,  which  is  invariably  the  case,  not  only 
with  this  but  everything  else  upon  which  the  mind  dwells  too 
long. 

Jacobs  came  in  and  reported  water  ten  miles  off',  so  that 
we  spent  a  more  comfortable  night,  for  besides,  strange  to 
say,  the  thermometer  fell  fifteen  degrees  before  sundown,  and 
the  sky  was.  full  of  meteors  during  the  evening,  principally 
from  the  East.  tr,*( 

July  26th. — Jacobs  was  wrong  in  his  estimate  of  the  dis- 
tance to  water;  a  not  unusual  thing,  as  I  have  before 
observed,  with  Indians.  Whether  this  arises  from  their 
habit  of  going  to  any  designated  place  in  the  shortest  time 
and  by  the  shortest  road  or  not  I  know  not,  but  they  are 
seldom  accurate  in  distances ;  as  for  places,  they  never  fail 
if  they  have  once  been  there. 

We  found  some  tolerable  water  about  four  miles  from 
camp,  and  after  watering  our  stock  and  taking  a  supply  in 
our  barrels,  we  continued  our  march  and  soon  reached  the 
Divide,  between  the  Big  Witchita  and  the  Brazos. 

This  is  a  high  narrow  ridge  of  land,  very  barren  and  entirely 
without  water.  Water  is  found  on  either  side,  but  in  spite  of 


INTENSE    HEAT.  139 

the  most  earnest  search  none  could  be  found  until  late  in  the 
afternoon,  when  the  Major,  always  active  and  on  the  alert, 
who  had  been  scouring  the  country  around,  found  tolerable 
water  both  in  quantity  and  quality  in  a  ravine  at  the  foot  of 
a  rough  and  sterile  declivity,  more  than  half  a  mile  from  any 
good  camping  ground. 

All  this  time  we  had  been  toiling  along  the  top  of  the 
ridge,  but  now  heat  and  thirst  had  done  its  work  with  our 
oxen  ;  some  laid  down  in  the  yoke,  some  were  turned  out,  and 
all  were  panting  and  lolling  their  tongues  out — a  sure  sign  of 
exhaustion. 

Orders  were  given  to  halt  and  encamp,  which  we  did  on 
the  top  of  the  ridge,  where  there  was  plenty  of  buffalo  grass, 
and  soon  our  thirsty  animals  were  refreshed,  as  far  as  the 
limited  supply  of  water  would  allow,  and  we  making  ourselves 
as  comfortable  as  canvass  coverings,  with  the  thermometer  at 
one  hundred  and  six  degrees  in  the  shade  could  make  us — 
the  changes  in  the  temperature  from  heat  to  cold,  and  then 
to  heat  again,  in  the  last  thirty-six  hours,  being  very  sur- 
prising and  trying. 

Our  course  had  been  west  of  north,  and  the  Brazos  could 
be  seen  in  the  distance  about  twelve  miles  from  camp.* 

*  It  may  surprise  the  reader,  that  although  we  had  been  for  some  days  so  near 
the  Little  Witchita,  the  Big  Witchita,  and  the  Brazos,  three  large  streams,  we 
should  puffer  so  much  for  water.  The  fact  is.  as  the  sequel  will  prove,  that 
these  streams  take  their  rise  in  a  gypsum  formation,  and  are  so  impregnated 
with  this  mineral  as  to  be  undrinkable.  Branches  of  them  contain  good  water 
but  the  main  streams  are  salt  and  bitter. 


140  NOTES   TAKEN. 

We  disturbed  a  herd  of  antelopes  near  the  water-pool, 
and  several  hungry  wolves  were  prowling  around  in  their 
tracks. 

The  Captain  caught  a  most  curious  spider,  with  the  body 
as  large  as  a  pigeon's  egg,  barred  with  alternate  brown 
and  canary  coloured  stripes,  head  brown  and  armed  with  a 
horn,  and  legs  long  and  black,  a  new  species,  and  quite  an 
addition  to  our  collection. 

This  region  abounds  in  iron  and  copper,  and  indications  are 
very  strong  of  coal. 


IRON    AND    COPPER.  141 


CHAPTER  XI. 

DIVIDING   RIDGE   TO   THE   HEAD   OF   THE   BRAZOS. 

Water  scarce. — Iron  and  Copper  found. — Black  Lizard. — Scorpion  caught. — Ca- 
manche  signal. — Preparations  for  exploring  party  with  pack  mules,  Ac. — 
Party  leave. — Antelopes  seen. — Barren  country. — Bad  water. — Filling  water- 
sacks.— Witchita  trail.— Conner's  sagacity.— Chapparal  cock.— Reach  Big  Wit- 
chita. — Quick  sands. — Accidents  frequent. — Dexterity  of  Indians  in  skinning 
deer. — Bluffs  met  with. — Bivouac  on  bluff. — Fire  in  bivouac. — Twilight  des- 
cribed.—Rattlesnake  killed.— Gypsum  found.— Stream  crooked.— Bitter  water' 
— Sickness  in  the  party. — Large  grasshopper  found. — Insects  scarce. — Head  of 
Big  Witchita. — Travelling  South. — Limestone  water  found. — Camanche  grave. 
— Singular  ridge.— Man  lost.— Bivouac  on  Brazos.— Alarm  in  bivouac.— Prairie 
Dog  town.— Catfish  Creek.— Camanche  trail.— Rough  'country.— Singular 
knobs. — Hard  times. — Man  very  ill. — Gypsum  mountain. — Cross  fork  of  Bra- 
zos.— Better  country. — Prairie  Dogs. — Table  Mountain.— Arrive  on  Llano  Esta- 
cado.— Head  of  the  Brazos. 

JULY  27th. — The  Captain  being  fearful  of  moving  any 
farther,  in  uncertainty  about  water,  despatched  Jacobs  again 
in  search,  and  we  remained  quietly  in  camp  all  day. 

The  Major  and  the  Doctor  explored  the  country  in  search 
of  iron  and  copper,  and  came  back  loaded  with  specimens, 
some  very  choice. 

Whilst  writing  in  my  tent,  I  felt  a  strange  sensation  in  my 
leg  and  foot,  and  found  that  a  large  black  lizard  had  paid  me 
a  visit.  Whether  he  was  anxious  to  sacrifice  his  life  in  the 
cause  of  science  or  not,  I  know  not,  but  he  paid  for  his 

temerity  by  a  bath  in  alcohol. 

13 


142  NOTES   TAKEN. 

The  first  specimen  of  the  scorpion  we  have  yet  met  with, 
was  to-day  added  to  our  collection,  and  another  fine  specimen 
of  the  jackass  rabbit. 

During  the  day  a  large  column  of  smoke  was  seen  in  the 
direction  of  the  Brazos,  and  Conner  pronounced  it  to  be  made 
by  the  Camanches,  as  a  signal,  Major  Neighbours  having 
sent  out  runners,  before  he  left  home,  to  tell  them  that  we 
would  be  with  them  about  this  time,  and  we  had  been  daily 
expecting  to  meet  one  of  the  bands. 

Jacobs  returned  and  reported  having  scoured  the  country 
for  forty  miles  round  and  found  it  dry,  barren  and  broken,  but 
at  six  miles  distance,  in  a  southerly  direction,  he  found  good 
camping  ground  and  tolerable  water. 

Upon  consultation,  the  Captain  determined  to  move  the 
train  to  this  spot,  and  leaving  it  there,  to  complete  the  ex- 
ploration of  the  head  waters  of  the  Big  Witchita  and  Brazos, 
with  pack  mules  and  a  small  mounted  escort. 

Eeport  was  brought  in  that  sixteen  of  the  oxen  were  miss- 
ing, whether  having  wandered  off  in  search  of  water  and 
grass,  or  stolen  by  the  Indians  of  course  could  not  be  told, 
Jackson  and  Wagon  were  despatched  in  search  of  them. 

July  28th.— Early  this  morning  Conner  replied  to  the  Ca- 
manche  signal,  by  building  a  fire  upon  the  top  of  the  highest 
hill  he  could  find  in  our  vicinity,  which  was  about  two  miles 
from  camp,  when  a  column  of  smoke  rose  high  enough  to  be 
seen  at  a  distance  of  forty  miles. 

The  rest  of  the  day  was  spent  in  preparations  for  the  ex- 


EXPLORING    PARTY.  143 

ploring  party,  and  in  the  evening  the  Indians  brought  in  the 
stray  oxen. 

Owing  to  the  bad  condition  of  our  horses,  we  were  unable 
to  mount  but  four  men,  which  with  the  Captain,  Major, 
Doctor,  myself  and  five  Indians,  made  but  a  party  of  thirteen, 
a  small  number  truly,  to  attempt  the  thorough  exploration  of 
a  country  entirely  unknown  to  white  men,  except  as  the 
retiring  spot  of  numerous  predatory  bands  of  Indians,  after 
their  constant  forays  upon  the  frontier  settlements;  but  we 
had  to  make  the  best  of  what  we  had,  and  trust  to  chance  for 
success. 

July  29th. — Leaving  the  train  in  charge  of  the  two  sub- 
alterns, our  party  of  thirteen,  with  nine  pack  mules  and  led 
horses  started  at  day  break  this  morning. 

Our  course  was  North-west,  and  ascending  gradually,  we 
came  upon  a  very  extensive  plain,  covered  with  buffalo  grass 
and  mesquite  timber.  At  a  short  distance  south  was  the  dry 
bed  of  a  lake,  covered  with  luxuriant  green  grass,  and  making 
quite  an  oasis  in  the  comparative  desert  around  us.  Upon 
this  fed  the  largest  herd  of  antelope  we  had  yet  met  with.  I 
counted  more  than  thirty  in  one  spot,  and  deer  were  plenty. 

We  rode  six  miles,*  when  suddenly  and  abruptly  the  scene 
changed,  and  a  most  singular  country  was  brought  to  view. 
Below,  stretching  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  was  a  barren 

*  We  counted  distances  on  our  march  by  the  time  it  took  us,  and  the  speed 
of  our  horses.  With  the  train  we  had  an  odometer,  a  very  curious  instrument, 
fastened  in  a  leather  case  to  the  wheels  of  the  ambulance,  by  which  every 
revolution  was  counted,  and  thus  the  road  accurately  measured. 


144  NOTES   TAKEN. 

and  desolate  waste,  broken  and  torn  into  ravines,  mounds, 
gullies  and  defiles,  the  soil  a  bright  red  clay,  and  not  a  tree  or 
a  shrub,  except  the  white  dwarf  cedar,  to  be  seen.  Crossing 
this  was  like  descending  the  Alps ;  we  had  to  lead  or  drive 
our  horses,  go  single  file,  and  hang  on  in  many  places  to  the 
cedars  that  grew  in  our  path. 

At  the  bottom,  we  found  the  bed  of  a  large  stream,  a 
tributary  to  the  Big  Witchita,  quite  dry,  with  only  a  pool  of 
water  here  and  there,  standing  under  the  banks,  salt  and 
bitter. 

This  being  a  foretaste  of  what  we  were  to  expect,  the  ever 
vigilant  Captain  began  to  think  of  the  future,  and  cast  about 
for  some  place  to  fill  our  gum-elastic  water-bags. 

After  much  search,  he  found  a  tiny  thread  of  water 
trickling  down  the  hill  side,  and  despatched  one  of  the  men 
to  dig  out  a  basin  to  catch  it  in. 

In  this  way,  in  an  hour's  time,  we  filled  our  water  bags, 
and  drank  freely  ourselves,  when  continuing  our  march  over 
the  same  barren  tract,  we  nooned  near  the  dry  bed  of  a  large 
creek,  where  in  a  hole  was  brackish  water  sufficient  for  our 
thirsty  animals. 

In  passing  down  the  bed  of  this  stream,  in  the  afternoon, 
we  came  upon  an  Indian  trail,  when  Conner  displayed  the 
extraordinary  powers  he  possessed  of  designating  by  the  mere 
tracks  in  the  sand  the  character  of  the  trail. 

Biding  along  with  his  eyes  bent  upon  the  sand,  he  soon 
stopped,  and  said  "  Witchita  trail,  may  be  so,  eight  animal, 


CHAPPARAL   COCK.  145 

two  horse,  one  pony,  three  mule,  horse  shod  all  round,  pony 
too  ;  shoes  on  pony  old ;  one  mule  shod  all  round,  others  shod 
before  ;  trail  five  days  old." 

How  he  could  be  so  accurate,  he  knows  best,  with  nothing 
but  some  tracks  in  the  sand,  partly  blown  over  by  the  wind, 
to  guide  him ;  but  suffice  it  to  say  he  was  correct,  which  we 
ascertained  two  months  afterwards;  the  horses  and  mules 
having  been  stolen  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Fort  Belknap, 
and  a  detachment  of  dragoons  having  been  sent  out  after 
the  marauders.  Such  is  the  force  of  habit,  and  most  invalua- 
ble is  this  power  in  a  country  where  stock  is^liable  at  any 
hour  to  be  stolen. 

The  first  specimen  of  the  chapparal  cock  was  here  seen. 
It  is  a  species  of  cuckoo,  about  as  large  as  a  grouse ;  runs 
very  fast,  and  will  not  fly  unless  closely  pursued.  It  is  the 
only  bird  that  will  attack  the  rattlesnake,  which  it  does  with 
great  fury,  seizing  it  by  the  neck  and  beating  it  to  death  with 
its  short  strong  wings. 

We  gave  chase  to  this  specimen,  a  full  grown  male,  but  he 
escaped  us  by  taking  to  the  thick  tangled  bushes  on  the 
bank.  Shortly  after  we  came  to  the  Big  Witchita. 

The  bed  of  the  stream  was  very  wide,  but  there  was  but 
little  running  water  in  it,  and  that  salt  and  bitter,  disappearing 
frequently  entirely  in  the  sand,  the  shores  frosted  with  de- 
posits of  salt  and  gypsum.  We  crossed  and  recrossed  it 
several  times  during  the  afternoon,  as  it  was  very  crooked  and 

marching  in  a  direct  line,  we  had  it  in  sight  for  a  long 

13* 


146  NOTES  TAKEN. 

f 

distance,  and  it  ran  at  right  angles  to  our  course  every  mile 
or  two.  The  bed  of  the  stream  near  shore  was  all  quick- 
sands, and  every  time  we  crossed  more  or  less  accident 
occurred,  happily  none  serious. 

My  horse  sank  to  the  haunches  in  one  instance,  and  in  his 
plunges  threw  me  off,  but  as  the  landing  was  soft,  a  plentiful 
bedaubing  of  red  clay  and  mud  was  all  the  injury  I  received. 
Our  horses  and  mules  suffered  very  much  from  this  service. 
Every  plunge  was  made  with  a  groan,  and  the  strain  upon 
legs  and  loins  was  very  perceptible  afterwards. 

For  many  miles  along  the  north  shore,  extended  a  meadow 
a  mile  wide,  which  in  the  rainy  season  must  be  entirely  sub- 
merged, from  the  water  marks,  making  a  broad  lake,  where 
now  no  water  could  be  seen,  the  grass  very  thin  and  coarse, 
like  that  in  salt  marshes.  In  crossing  this,  the  Captain  shot 
a  doe,  and  we  had  a  specimen  of  the  dexterity  and  rapidity 
with  which  an  Indian  can  skin  a  deer  and  prepare  it  for 
transportation.  I  timed  Jacobs  during  the  operation,  and 
he  was  just  fifteen  minutes  from  the  time  the  deer  was  shot 
until  he  had  it  prepared  and  packed  on  a  mule. 

The  south  shore  now  began  to  be  bounded  by  a  range  of  high 
bluffs,  and  hoping  to  find  water  there,  we  crossed  at  the  first 
opening  and  bivouaced  on  top  of  a  bluff,  one  hundred  feet 
above  the  stream,  giving  us  a  level  plateau,  with  grass  for 
our  animals  and  a  good  place  to  keep  look-out  for  Indians. 

In  a  ravine,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  off,  Conner  dug  into  the 
bank  and  found  water,  slightly  impregnated  with  salt  and 


FIRST   GYPStM,  147 

gypsum,  but  cold,  so  spreading  our  blankets  and  picketing 
our  animals,  we  prepared  for  the  night  on  this  eyrie. 

The  clear  salt  waters  inviting  us,  we  all  descended  for  a 
bath,  when  just  as  we  were  "  sans  culotte,"  a  succession  of 
yells  and  shouts  from  the  Indians,  and  the  crackling  and 
smoke  from  the  dry  grass,  proclaimed  a  fire  on  top.  Hastily 
ascending,  we  found  our  bivouac  in  flames,  but  baggage  safe, 
except  that  of  the  Indians,  who  lost  considerable. 

We  succeeded  in  beating  out  the  fire,  with  blankets  and 
horse  cloths,  and  moving  a  little  higher  up,  spent  the  most 
charming  night  of  our  trip,  cool  and  free  from  insects,  with 
a  sky  above  as  clear  as  sky  could  be,  and  countless  meteors, 
coursing  their  way  over  the  Heavens,  principally  from  the 
north-east. 

The  twilight  in  this  country  is  remarkable,  prolonging  the 
evening  until  a  very  late  hour,  and,  when  the  sky  is  perfectly 
clear,  lingering  on  the  verge  of  day-break.  On  this  night  it 
was  singularly  so,  and  at  no  time  between  sunset  and  dawn, 
was  it  dark  enough  to  obscure  an  object  at  one  hundred  paces 
distant.  We  made,  this  day,  a  march  of  forty  miles. 

July  30th. — Daylight  found  us  all  ready  for  moving,  and 
passing  through  a  meadow,  below  the  bluff,  where  Jacob 
shot  a  monster  rattle-snake,  with  nine  rattles,  we  met  with,  in 
about  an  hour,  the  first  gypsum,  in  bulk,  we  had  yet  seen. 

The  whole  earth  was  covered  with  conical  and  rhomboidal 
chrystals  of  the  mineral,  whilst  around  and  among  it,  lay 
jasper,  agate  and  chalcedory,  with  some  cornelian.  Specimen 


148  NOTES   TAKEN. 

hunting  employed  us  for  a  short  time,  and  many  choice  ones 
were  found. 

The  stream — which  we  kept  in  sight  of  as  much  as  pos- 
sible— was  still  very  crooked,  and  crossing  and  recrossing  it 
very  often  during  our  march  we  found  some  land  good  enough 
to  grow  trees  of  a  considerable  size,  but  the  most  part  was 
a  barren  waste  covered  with  gypsum,  with  here  and  there  the 
low  stunted  white  cedar  and  patches  of  very  thin  coarse  grass. 
In  the  fertile  spots  grew  the  China  tree,  the  live  oak  and  the 
mesquite,  but  all  bearing  marks  of  very  insufficient  nourish- 
ment from  the  soil.  The  same  danger  and  difficulty  from 
quicksands  attended  every  crossing  of  the  stream,  and  the 
bed — where  dry — was  invariably  covered  with  a  thick  powder 
of  gypsum  mingled  with  salt. 

Heat  and  exhaustion — thermometer  one  hundred  and  six 
degrees — compelled  us  to  stop  at  noon  and  remain  until  next 
day. 

We  bivouaced  upon  a  branch  of  the  river,  where  was  a 
spring  icy  cold,  but  intensely  bitter.  Not  being  able  to  find 
any  other,  we  made  a  virtue  of  necessity  and  drank  as  little 
as  possible,  except  in  coffee,  when  the  taste  is  somewhat  dis- 
guised.* The  Doctor  made  some  lemonade  with  citric  acid 
and  oil  of  lemon,  which  refreshed  us  somewhat,  but  the 
medicine  was  too  powerful  to  be  mastered  by  ordinary  means. 

*  It  is  well  to  remark,  that  our  water-bags  wore  filled  and  carried  with  us  in 
case  we  should  be  unable  to  find  any  water  at  all,  either  sweet  or  bitter— 
which  we  had  every  reason  to  expect,  and  the  supply  of  course  remained 
untouched,  fearful  that  such  a  contingency  would  arise. 


BEAR    HUNTING.  149 

A  doe  and  fawn,  killed  by  the  incomparable  Wagon, 
afforded  us  a  savory  meal,  cooked  Indian  fashion,  and  our 
minds  were  diverted  for  a  time  by  some  very  large  bear  signs 
in  the  sand,  which  we  followed  some  distance,  but  unsuccess- 
fully. Some  anecdotes  related  by  the  Indians  of  the  instinct 
and  sagacity  of  bears,  were  very  interesting.  They  say  the 
animal  invariably  goes  some  distance  with  the  wind,  away 
from  his  first  track,  before  making  his  bed  to  lie  down — 
should  an  enemy  now  approach  he  is  obliged  to  come  with 
the  wind,  when  the  bear's  acute  sense  of  smell  warns  him  in 
time  to  make  his  escape.  When  pursued  he  will  sometimes 
take  refuge  in  a  cave,  and  should  the  hunter  endeavor  by 
building  a  fire  at  the  mouth  to  smoke  him  out,  he  not  unfre- 
quently  will  advance,  beat  out  the  fire  with  his  fore  feet  and 
then  retreat  into  the  cave. 

Another  anecdote,  however,  would  seem  to  prove  the  bear 
correspondingly  stupid.  When  the  hunter  cannot  succeed 
in  smoking  him  out,  he  sometimes  descends  into  the  cave 
with  his  rifle  and  a  lighted  torch.  W^hen  the  bear  sees  the 
light  approaching  he  will  sit  upright  upon  his  haunches,  cover 
his  face  with  his  paws,  and  remain  so  until  shot. 

The  black  bear  is  harmless,  unless  wounded  or  accompanied 
by  its  young,  when  it  is  very  dangerous  to  attack  it. 

I  found  a  large  species  of  wild  gourd  trailing  on  the  ground, 
and  very  full  of  the  vegetable,  and  caught  a  grasshopper  as 
large  as  a  good  sized  sparrow. 

We  noticed  that  insect  life  was  very  sparse  in  this  region, 


150  NOTES   TAKEN. 

a  great  satisfaction  to  us,  heat  and  bitter  water  being  evils 
enough  at  one  time. 

Diarrhoea  had  now  set  in  with  most  of  the  party,  and  all 
began  to  wear  an  anxious  look. 

Our  course  to-day  was  west  of  north,  and  distance  thirty- 
five  miles. 

July  31st. — At  six  A.  M.,  we  left  our  bivouac,  and  taking 
a  trail  through  the  cedar  brakes,  and  travelling  up  the  river 
ten  miles,  we  came  to  where  it  divided  into  three  prongs. 

Following  the  first,  led  us  up  a  steep  bluff  to  an  elevated 
prairie,  when  a  beautiful  view  was  presented.  In  our  rear 
the  valley  of  the  Big  Witchita  could  be  traced  for  many 
miles,  in  front,  and  to  our  right,  the  head  waters,  all 
emanating  from  the  same  barren  and  desolate  hills  of  gypsum ; 
In  fact,  the  whole  country  here  is  one  mass  of  gypsum,  and 
is  entirely  uninhabitable. 

We  had  seen  but  few  Indian  signs,  nor  do  I  believe  they 
ever  do  more  than  pass  through  this  region,  as  grass,  water 
and  game  are  all  scarce. 

"With  no  regret,  we  bid  adieu  to  the  scene  behind  us, 
heartily  wishing  it  might  never  be  our  lot  to  visit  it  again, 
and  turning  south  after  a  ride  of  six  miles,  came  to  a  tiny 
spring,  trickling  from  an  overhanging  shelf  of  lime-stone. 

Making  a  basin  to  receive  the  water,  canteens  and  tin 
cups  were  soon  busy,  and  from  the  number  of  cupsfull  that 
found  their  way  down  our  throats,  in  rapid  succession,  our 
thirst  and  joy  at  finding  this  God-send  was  very  clearly 


AN    OASIS.  151 


evidenced.       We    also  renewed  the  water    in    our 
which  we  took  care  to  do  at  every  opportunity. 

Near  this  spring,  and  on  the  highest  point  of  the  hill,  was 
a  Camanche  grave,  marked  by  a  pile  of  stones  and  some 
remnants  of  scanty  clothing.  Conner  pronounced  it  to  be 
the  grave  of  a  woman,  recognizing  it  as  such  by  the  few 
shreds  of  cloth,  fluttering  on  a  mesquite  tree  near  the  grave. 

We  now  passed  rapidly  on  in  a  southern  course,  and 
entered  an  extensive  plain  covered  with  thin  coarse  grass 
and  stunted  mesquite  timber. 

We  moved  parallel  to  a  chain  of  mountains,  making  quite 
a  variety  to  the  dull  monotony  of  the  barren  prairie,  and 
striking  the  gypsum  formation  again  halted  towards  sunset 
upon  a  branch  of  the  Brazos,  where  we  had  bitter  water,  but 
plenty  of  grass  and  wild  rye  for  our  animals.* 

Previous  to  reaching  our  bivouac,  we  crossed  a  narrow 
ridge,  upon  the  top  of  which  was  the  dry  bed  of  a  stream, 
which  overflowing  in  time  of  high  water,  caused  a  most 
luxuriant  growth  of  grass  on  the  flats  at  either  side.  It 
reminded*  me  of  the  course  of  the  Mississippi. 

Near  this,  one  of  the  men  got  astray  (in  the  tall  coarse 
sedge,  reaching  higher  than  a  man's  head  on  horseback,  and 
extending  for  half  a  mile  on  either  side  of  the  ridge)  but  with 
a  succession  of  yells  and  shouts  aroused  the  ever  ready 

*  We  occasionally  passed  oases  of  this  kind  in  our  trip,  but  so  small  was  their 
extent,  in  proportion  to  the  immense  territory  traversed,  that  they  were  more 
tantalizing  than  useful. 


152  NOTES    TAKEN. 

s 

Wagon,  who  was  scouting  in  the  vicinity,  and  soon  put  him 
right. 

Our  bivouac  was  in  a  grove,  the  ground  of  an  old  Ca- 
manche  camp*  at  the  base  of  a  succession  of  low  hills  of  red 
clay,  posted  and  sparkling  with  crystals  of  gypsum. 

The  timber  was  cotton  wood  and  hackberry ;  the  bed  of 
the  stream  one  quicksand,  so  that  the  animals  were  watered 
with  difficulty. 

An  incident  occurred  here  which  shows  how  good  a  sentinel 
a  horse  or  a  mule  is.  They  were  all  tied  close  to  camp  and 
we  lounging  on  our  blankets,  when  just  at  dusk  the  Major 
observed  them  start  suddenly,  with  ears  pricked,  and  one  of 
them  gave  a  loud  snort.  "  Look  out,  something  there  !"  was 
his  sharp,  quick  exclamation.  Instantly,  every  man  was 
upon  his  feet,  revolver  and  rifle  in  hand,  when  it  proved  to  be 
one  of  the  men  who  had  gone  over  to  put  out  the  cook's  fire 
on  the  gypsum  hills,  where  it  had  been  built  for  safety. 

This  incident  shows  also  how  prairie  life  sharpens  the  facul- 
ties of  both  men  and  animals.  Distance  to-day,  thirty  miles. 

August  1st. — Our  course  to  day  was  still  south,  towards 
some  high  knobs  seen  in  the  distance. 

We  left  the  gypsum  formation  and  crossed  a  pretty 
extensive  plain,  but  soon  we  struck  it  again  and  crossed  a 

*  It  was  surprising  how  readily  and  with  what  accuracy  in  detail  our 
Delawares  would  designate  the  tribe,  the  number  and  the  disposition  of  the 
Indians,  who  had  occupied  the  deserted  camps  wo  met  with  during  our  whole 
trip,  and  as  we  met  with  some  of  the  same  parties  afterwards,  their  sagacity 
in  this  respect  was  fully  established. 


CATFISH   CEEEK.  153 

branch  of  the  Brazos,  the  bed  damp  and  oozy,  with  the  water 
welling  up  through  the  sand  at  every  step  of  our  animals. 
"We  moved  down  the  bed  of  the  stream  some  distance,  then 
took  the  shore,  and  came  upon  a  very  broken  country,  beyond 
which  was  a  short  prairie  where  was  a  prairie-dog  village. 
These  little  creatures,  so  curious  a  feature  in  a  prairie  tour, 
gave  us  great  amusement  as  we  passed,  sitting  upon  the 
mounds  by  their  holes,  frisking  around  or  scuttling  along 
from  one  hole  to  the  other,  filling  the  air  with  their  low 
whining  bark,  and  upon  our  approach  throwing  a  summer- 
sault into  their  holes. 

A  short  distance  brought  us  to  a  branch  of  the  Brazos, 
very  deep,  as  clear  as  crystal,  and  filled  with  catfish,  gars 
and  buffalo  fish,  where  we  nooned,  dining  upon  some  of  the 
fish  cooked  by  the  Major.  "Wagon  caught  a  catfish  four  feet 
seven  inches  long,  and  nine  inches  across  the  head. 

The  blue  and  white  cranes  were  seen  here,  also  the  yellow- 
legged  snipe,  and  a  species  of  large  grasshopper  of  a  shining 
black  color,  some  of  the  specimens  six  inches  long. 

The  grass  was  very  rank  and  tall,  and  a  high  wind  arising 
set  it  on  fire  from  our  kitchen,  so  that  we  had  to  make  a  hasty 
retreat  up  the  steep  bank  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  creek, 
which  we  have  called  CaffisJi  Creek.  It  was  timbered  with 
hackberry  and  cottonwood. 

The  bitter  water  here  began  to  show  its  effects  upon  our 
horses.  All  were  restless,  and  mine  was  affected  with  cramps, 

causing  him  to  lie  down  and  roll  upon  the  ground  in  great 

14 


154  NOTES   TAKEN. 

agony.  I  was  obliged  to  change  him  for  one  of  the  led  horses 
an  impatient,  nervous  creature,  who  in  crossing  gave  me  fall 
the  second  in  the  quicksands  along  shore. 

On  the  top  of  the  bank  we  struck  a  Camanche  trail,  very 
broad,  and  made  by  the  lodge  poles,  which  they  transport 
from  place  to  place  in 'their  wanderings  by  fastening  them  on 
each  side  of  their  pack  horses,  leaving  the  long  ends  trailing 
upon  the  ground,  giving  the  trail  very  much  the  appearance 
of  a  carriage  road,  in  so  much  so  that  one  of  our  party 
remarked — without  thinking  that  these  lords  of  the  plains 
were  obliged  to  eschew  carriages  of  any  kind — that  "we  must 
soon  overtake  them,  for  here  was  the  track  of  the  chiefs' 
travelling  carriage,"  an  idea  that  caused  much  merriment. 

The  country  was  now  broken  and  rugged  in  the  extreme 
for  some  miles,  and  until  we  came  to  the  plain,  upon  the 
western  border  of  which  stood  the  singular  knobs  we  had 
seen  in  the  distance.  One  of  these  knobs — at  the  base  of 
which  we  passed  —  particularly  attracted  our  attention.  It 
rose  several  hundred  feet  above  the  surface  in  alternate 
terraces  of  gray  limestone,  the  whole  forming  a  bell-shaped 
mound,  perfect  in  outline,  and  a  landmark  to  the  traveller  for 
a  long  distance. 

Passing  this  range  of  knobs,  we  entered  the  most  barren, 
rugged  and  broken  country  we  had  yet  met  with,  covered 
with  stunted  mesquite  trees  and  dwarf  cedar,  the  ground 
one  mass  of  broken  rocks. 

Sunset  found   us  toiling  along,  weary  and  half  famished 


GYPSUM   WATER.  155 

for  water.  At  length,  we  descended  a  ravine,  and  bivouaced 
"  per  force"  near  two  pools  of  the  most  bitter  water  we  had 
had  to  put  up  with.  We  now  realized,  how  comparatively  use- 
less our  gum-elastic  water  sacks  were.  The  water  not  only 
became  nauseous  from  the  gum,  but  exposure  to  the  sun 
rendered  it  equally  unpalatable  to  the  gypsum  water. 

We  also  had  gum-elastic  sacks  for  our  rations  of  pork,  and 
discovered  that  heat  and  grease  together  so  softened  this 
material,  as  to  render  it  entirely  unfit  for  service  in  that 
climate.  The  whole  coating  of  gum  peels  off  under  such 
circumstances,  and  leaves  the  sack,  not  equal  to  one  made  of 
common  canvass. 

One  or  two  gutta  percha  bags,  unfortunately  of  small  ca- 
pacity, happening  to  have  been  brought  along,  their  contents 
proved  good,  so  that  we  fared  better  than  could  have  been 
expected,  but  our  miserable  bivouac,  for  that  night,  will  long 
be  impressed  upon  our  memories. 

One  of  the  soldiers,  here  became  very  violently  ill  with  cramps 
and  diarrhosa,  and  we  were  all  suffering  terribly  and  much  ex- 
hausted by  the  constant  doses  of  this  most  execrable  stuff,  im- 
pregnated, as  it  is,  with  sulphate  of  lime,  sulphate  of  magnesia, 
sulphate  of  soda,  chloride  of  sodium  and  hydrosulphuric  acid,* 

*  Professor  W.  S  Clarke,  of  Amherst  College,  made  an  analysis  of  this  water, 
and  gives  the  following  as  the  result. 

Water  in  fluid,  ounces 4.000 

Weight  of  Sulphate  of  Lime          .        .        .  .219 

"      "            "          Magnesia,          .        .  .088 

"      «            "          Soda,          .        .        .  .073 

"      «  Chloride  of  Sodium,     .        .        .  .023 

"      «  Hydrosulphuric  acid,           k       .  .Oil 


156  NOTES   TAKEN. 

a  most  nauseous  dose  under  any  circumstances,  but  with 
the  thermometer  at  one  hundred  and  four  degrees  in  the 
shade,  and  long  rides  in  the  hot  sun,  creating  most  in- 
satiable thirst,  our  sufferings  may  be  imagined  but  can- 
not be  described. 

I  had  my  first  experience  here  in  mounting  guard,  which 
became  necessary  in  the  disabled  state  of  our  escort,  both 
Indians  and  white  men.  We  all  had  to  take  turns,  and  a 
wretched  night  passed  in  restlessness  and  anxiety.  We  made 
this  day  forty  miles. 

As  may  be  supposed,  we  welcomed  with  joy  the  first 
streaks  of  day,  and  saddling  up,  we  turned  our  back  upon  our 
wretched  bivouac  with  alacrity,  but  apprehensive  for  the  future. 
Ascending  the  steep  banks  of  the  ravine,  we  came  upon  a 
plain  bounded  upon  the  west  by  a  most  picturesque  range  of 
bluffs,  then  ascending  and  descending  through  hills,  gullies, 
and  ravines,  we  came,  about  eight,  A.  M.,  to  the  base  of  a 
mountain,  which  forming  one  of  the  range  of  bluffs  men- 
tioned, had  attracted  our  attention  for  some  time,  glistening 
as  it  did  in  the  sunlight.  We  ascended  it  and  found  its  alti- 
tude, by  barometer,  seven  hundred  feet  above  the  plain,  and 
that  it  was  composed  of  a  solid  mass  of  gypsum,  the  top  level 
and  covered  with  a  dazzling  white  pavement  of  the  mineral, 
as  perfectly  laid  as  though  by  the  hand  of  man. 

From  our  elevated  position  a  magnificent  panorama  was 
spread  out  before  us.  In  our  rear,  the  rough  and  inhospitable 


HEAD    OF   THE   BRAZOS.  157 

country  we  had  just  left,  with  the  fire  from  our  lately  burnt 
camp  smoking  in  the  distance,  a  fork  of  the  Brazos,  winding 
its  tortuous  and  uninviting  course  at  our  feet,  an  extensive 
mesquite  plain,  with  the  bluffs  which  bounded  the  opposite 
shores  of  the  Main  Brazos,  in  the  far  back  ground,  whilst  to 
our  right  could  be  seen  the  two  conical  peaks,  which  marked 
the  source  of  the  Brazos,  towering  towards  heaven,  and  look- 
ing like  two  dim  clouds  in  the  distant  horizon. 

The  view  was  truly  attractive,  but  our  sufferings  for  water 
overpowered  all  other  feelings,  and  descending  we  pushed 
rapidly  on,  crossed  the  fork  of  the  Brazos  at  our  feet,  and 
entered  upon  a  plain  covered  with  a  singular  growth  of  dwarf 
oaks  bearing  quite  a  large  acorn,  the  oak  a  perfect  tree  in 
itself,  but  the  highest  not  more  than  two  feet  high. 

The  soil  now  was  gravelly,  giving  us  hopes  of  soon  finding 
water,  but  after  a  very  long  ride  and  much  distress,  we  found 
nothing  but  a  stagnant  pool  filled  with  vegetable  matter  and 
sickening  to  the  taste.  By  boiling  it  in  our  camp-kettles  and 
skimming  off  the  green  slimy  scum,  we  managed  to  make 
coffee,  and  one  of  the  Indians  having  shot  a  deer,  we  passed 
a  comparatively  comfortable  night  upon  the  open  prairie. 

We  were  surprised  to  find  quantities  of  fish  in  this  stagnant 
pool.  Specimens  of  copper  were  also  found,  and  fossil  shells. 
We  killed  two  rattlesnakes  in  our  bivouac,  and  after  filling 
our  water-sacks  with  the  boiled  water,  retired  to  our  blankets, 
having  in  spiff  of  our  privations  passed  a  vpry  i 
14* 


158  NOTES    TAKEN. 

day.*  Our  course  had  been  south,  and  distance  forty-five 
miles. 

August  3d. — We  made  an  early  start,  still  travelling1  south 
across  the  plain,  which  became  more  fertile  at  every  step, 
covered  with  a  rich  growth  of  buffalo  grass  and  very  large 
mesquite  trees — a  great  change  from  the  land  of  bitter  water. 

Pretty  soon  we  entered  an  extensive  prairie  dog  town, 
where  (the  Doctor  being  anxious  to  procure  one  as  a 
specimen)  Conner  and  the  other  Indians  made  many  shots, 
some  of  them  effective,  but  did  not  succeed  in  securing  a 
dog,  as  they  tumbled  into  their  holes  and  were  lost.  Two 
skeletons  of  heads  were  all  that  was  obtained. 

Enormous  rattlesnakes  were  seen  here,  one  of  which  the 
Major  wounded,  but  it  glided  into  a  hole  and  could  not  be 
withdrawn.  These  reptiles  are  always  found  in  numbers 
about  these  towns,  where  they  subsist  upon  the  puppies,  as 
has  been  proven  by  opening  a  snake  killed,  and  not  as  some 
suppose,  living  on  friendly  terms  with  the  inhabitants. 

A  small  species  of  owl,  no  doubt  attracted  by  the  same 
cause,  was  seen  flying  around,  and  rabbits  running  in  and  out 
of  the  holes,  whether  occuping  those  deserted  by  the  dogs, 
or  as  one  of  the  family,  could  not  be  ascertained. 

The  prairie  dog  is  a  species  of  marmot,  with  a  head  similar 

*  A  good  plan,  when  in  a  country  like  this,  and  having  to  drink  such 
stagnant,  warm  and  unpalatable  water,  is  to  cover  a  canteen  or  gourd  with  a 
piece  of  woolen  cloth,  or  blanket,  and  filling  the  vessel,  wet  the  outside  and 
hang  it  on  a  tree  or  bush  over  night;  by  evaporation  a  cool  drink  is  thus 
afforded  at  least  once  in  twenty-four  hours. 


PRAIRIE    DOGS.  159 

to  a  bull-dog  puppy,  the  incisors  like  those  of  a  squirrel,  body 
about  the  size  of  a  common  rabbit,  and  tail  like  that  of  the 
chip  squirrel. 

The  immense  numbers  of  these  animals  in  one  of  their 
towns,  may  be  estimated  from  the  fact,  that  we  passed  ten 
miles  through  this  town,  and  allowing  it  to  extend  the  same 
distance  in  other  directions,  we  have  an  area  of  one  hundred 
square  miles,  when  by  estimating  the  burrows  at  seven  feet 
apart,  the  usual  distance,  and  six  dogs  to  a  hole,  we  have  a 
population  not  to  be  exceeded  by  any  city  in  the  world. 
They  are  found  all  over  the  far  western  prairies,  from  Mexico 
to  the  northern  limits  of  the  states,  and  always  select  the  sites 
for  their  towns  upon  the  most  elevated  lands,  where  there  is 
no  water,  sometimes  none  for  many  miles,  but  where  grows 
a  species  of  short,  wiry  grass,  upon  which  they  feed. 

This  has  induced  many  to  believe  that  they  do  not  require 
water,  and  as  no  rains  or  dews  fall  during  the  summer 
months  upon  these  elevated  plains,  and  the  dogs  never 
wander  far  from  home,  the  conclusion  is  warranted  that  they 
require  no  water  beyond  what  the  grass  affords.  That  they 
hybernate  is  evidenced  from  the  fact  that  they  lay  up  no 
store  for  the  winter,  and  this  grass  dries  up  in  the  autumn. 

The  Indians  say  that  they  may  be  seen,  towards  the  last  of 
October,  busy  with  weeds  and  grass,  stopping  up  every 
passage  to  their  burrows,  and  if  they  re-open  them  again 
before  spring,  mild  and  pleasant  weather  is  sure  to  follow. 


160  NOTES   TAKEN. 

Usually,  however,  they  never  appear  until  settled  weather  in 
the  spring,  when  they  are  about,  as  lively  as  ever. 

We  saw  wolves  frequently  to-day,  and  a  good  many  deer, 
which  gave  us  cheering  prospects  for  better  times,  nor  were 
we  disappointed,  for  shortly  afterwards  we  struck  the  lime- 
stone and  found  a  beautiful  and  abundant  spring,  bubbling 
up  at  the  foot  of  an  overhanging  cliff,  composed  of  limestone, 
a  layer  of  gypsum  over,  conglomerate  on  top  of  that,  and 
sandstone  over  all.  Agate,  chalcedony,  jasper  and  cornelian 
abounded  here  in  great  quantity. 

We  nooned  here,  drinking  copious  draughts  of  this  deli- 
cious water,  which  only  he  who  has  been  so  long  deprived  of 
it  as  we  had  been  can  fully  appreciate. 

Having  refilled  our  water-sacks,  we  mounted  again  and 
crossed  the  south  fork  of  the  Brazos,  finding  the  water 
undrinkable  and  the  same  appearance  in  the  bed  of  the 
stream,  the  water  disappearing  entirely  in  the  sand,  and  the 
shores  frosted  with  salt  and  gypsum,  the  salt  thick  enough  to 
be  gathered  in  handsful. 

We  now  found  a  very  broken  country,  and  after  a  short 
ride  crossed  another  fork  of  the  Brazos,  which  from  a  moun- 
tain which  we  ascended  a  short  distance  from  the  opposite 
shore,  we  called  Table  Mountain  Fork. 

This  mountain  was  composed  of  calcareous  sand-stone, 
rose  precipitously  from  the  plain  and  was  quite  level  on  top. 
Descending  this,  we  crossed  a  succession  of  rocky  bluffs,  and 
finally  ascending  over  a  steep  and  dangerous  road,  came  to  a 


LLANO    ESCTACADO.  161 

broad  level  plain,  a  spur  of  the  Llano  Esctacado,  covered  with 
buffalo  grass  and  mesquite  trees,  and  extending  as  far  as  the 
eye  could  reach  in  a  perfect  level  towards  the  dim,  cloud- 
like  mountains  at  the  head  of  the  Brazos.*  We  found  some 
deer  here,  and  one  of  the  Indians  shot  a  fat  doe. 

*  The  Llano  Esctacado,  or  staked  plain,  is  the  most  elevated  table-land  on  our 
continent,  and  is  supposed  to  be  the  original  level  of  the  prairies  East.  The 
plain  proper  extends  from  the  thirty-second  to  the  thirty-sixth  parallel  of 
latitude,  and  is,  in  places,  two  hundred  miles  wide,  without  a  tree  or  running 
stream  throughout  its  entire  surface. 

Formerly  a  road  was  staked  off  across  it  by  the  old  Mexicans  for  the  use  of 
traders,  hence  its  name. 


102  NOTES   TAKEN. 


CHAPTEK  XII. 

HEAD  OF  THE  BRAZOS  TO  FLAT  ROCK  CREEK. 

Halt  on  the  Llano  Esctacado. — Grand  View. — Descend  from  the  plain. — Long 
Ride.— Miserable  Bivouac.— Curious  sight.— Panther  Chase.— Terrible  Storm. 
— Severe  sufferings. — Indian  Shealing. — Pleasant  dreams. — Water  plenty. — 
Singular  bush. — Chain  of  lakes. — Beautiful  spring. — Pleasant  Bivouac. — 
Mesquite  Gum. — Kickapoos. — Fish  shot. — Manner  of  spearing  fish. — Reached 
our  Camp. — Move  Camp. — Flat  Rock  Creek. 

THE  Captain  now  stopped,  to  consult  about  going  any 
farther.  We  had  achieved  the  main  point  in  our  trip  and 
were  all  heartily  tired  and  disgusted  with  so  inhospitable 
a  country,  besides  that,  the  sick  man  could  barely  support 
himself  upon  his  horse,  and  we  all  felt  that  to  go  any  farther, 
in  uncertainty  about  water,  was  to  peril  the  lives  of  the  whole 
party.  We  decided  to  return,  and  turning  our  horses  heads 
east,  we  commenced  our  journey  back  to  camp  over  the  plain 
we  had  just  reached. 

A  ride  of  six  miles,  brought  us  to  a  precipice  bounding 
this  plain  on  the  east,  and  with  a  sheer  descent  to  the  plain 
below  of  six  hundred  feet.  The  view  was  the  most  extensive 
and  glowing  in  the  sunset,  the  most  striking  that  we  had 
enjoyed  during  our  whole  trip,  combining  the  grandeur  of 
immense  space — the  plain  extending  to  the  horizon  on  every 
side  from  our  point  of  view — with  the  beauty  of  the  contrast 


LONG   RIDE.  163 

between  the  golden  carpet  of  buffalo  grass  and  the  pale  green 
of  the  mesquite  tree  dotting  its  surface. 

How  to  descend  was  now  the  question— nothing  presented 
itself  in  the  descent  but  a  mass  of  loose  rocks  of  white  streaked 
limestone,  no  path  ;  no  opening,  the  foot  of  white  man  never 
before  had  been  here,  but  descend  we  must,  so  the  first  foot 
hold  witnessed  us,  plunging,  rolling  and  sliding — men,  horses 
and  mules,  one  after  other,  and  sometimes  on  top  of  each 
other,  pell-mell  to  the  bottom. 

I  concluded  to  turn  my  horse  loose  and  let  him  shift  for 
himself,  but  came  near  losing  him  by  the  experiment.  His 
rein  caught  upon  a  scrub  cedar,  and  there  he  hung,  like 
Mahomet's  coffin,  between  heaven  and  earth,  until  fortunately 
another  horse  rolled  against  the  tree,  broke  it  off,  and  both 
came  to  the  bottom  together,  safe  except  a  few  scratches. 

When  all  had  arrived  at  the  bottom,  Conner's  first  expres- 
sion was,  "  now  may  be  so,  long  ride  to  water,"  and  so  it 
proved,  we  rode  until  nine  at  night,  the  Captain  and  the 
Indians  scouring  the  country  in  every  direction,  and  found 
none,  when,  just  as  we  were  all  in  despair — the  supply  in  our 
bags  being  so  insufficient — a  halloo  in  the  distance,  raised  our 
spirits  only  to  be  again  depressed. 

It  was  Jacobs,  who  had  found  water  in  a  small  branch  of 
Brazos,  but  on  coming  up,  we  found  it  so  salt  and  bitter,  that 
even  our  animals  would  not  drink  it. 

We  were  too  much  exhausted  to  go  further,  so  unsaddling, 
we  prepared  to  pass  the  night  and  make  out  with  the  scanty 


164  NOTES   TAKEN. 

store  our  water  bags  afforded  us.  Our  miserable  bivouac,  was 
made  more  cheerful,  however,  by  the  delicious  steaks  of  the 
fat  doe  killed  in  the  afternoon,  and  now  cooked  by  the  Major 
in  a  style  which  would  have  done  credit  to  a  finished 
"  cuisinier." 

We  supped  heartily,  and  with  hopes  for  to-morrow,  rested 
as  well  as  tired  men  could,  with  a  yelping  concert  of  wolves 
in  their  vicinity. 

August  4th. — Long  before  daylight,  we  were  off  without 
breakfast,  and  riding  rapidly  and  examining  every  spot  where 
water  might  be  thought  to  be,  about  eight  o'clock  we  found 
in  a  branch,  a  small  quantity  of  water,  which  though  so  putrid 
as  to  scent  the  atmosphere,  our  famishing  animals  drank 
greedily.  We  could  not  swallow  it,  though  suffering  terribly. 

A  curious  sight  presented  itself  here.  Large  numbers 
of  buffalo  fish,  had  penetrated  to  this  point  in  high  water,  and 
their  skeletons  in  thousands,  lined  the  shores,  where  they  had 
perished  after  the  water  receded,  and  afforded  a  rich  repast 
for  eagles  and  buzzards,  whose  feathers  were  thickly  strewn 
around. 

We  pushed  on,  and  about  ten  o'clock,  the  Captain  sur- 
prised a  panther,  in  his  tracks — the  first  one  we  had  met  with 
—and  giving  chase,  soon  came  to  a  fine  stream,  which  from 
this  circumstance,  he  called  Panther  Creek. 

Joy  at  finding  water,  drove  away  all  thoughts  of  the 
panther,  and  shouting  out  the  welcome  news,  we  were  soon 
bivouaced  under  a  wide  spreading  elm,  enjoying  good  water 


GLOOMY    PROSPECTS.  165 

and  a  savoury  breakast  of  venison  and  wild  turkies,  large  flocks 
of  which  abounded  in  the  vicinity.  The  stream,  was  bordered 
with  hackberry,  willow,  wild  china,  post  oak  and  elm,  grass 
very  green  and  luxuriant,  and  being  of  course  all  much  over- 
come, we  rested  here  until  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 

I  found  a  large  diamond  back  terrapin  on  the  banks  of  the 
stream,  very  similar  to  those  found  in  the  north ;  deer  were 
plenty,  and  many  wolves. 

Heavy  clouds  and  the  low  rumbling  in  the  west,  betokened 
a  coming  storm,  just  as  we  had  got  all  ready  to  start,  and 
before  we  got  far  it  burst  upon  us  terrifically,  with  rain,  hail, 
thunder  and  lightning.  A  storm,  on  the  plains,  is  a  serious 
matter.  The  wind  blows  irresistibly,  and  the  driving  rain  and 
hail  so  cuts  and  blinds  both  men  and  horses,  that  no  headway 
can  be  made  against  it.  My  horse  turned  completely  round 
in  his  tracks,  and  it  was  with  much  difficulty  that  I  forced  him 
to  the  shelter  of  a  low  clump  of  bushes,  where,  dismounting,  I 
seated  myself  under  their  scanty  cover,  whilst  he  instinctively 
turned  and  exposed  his  haunches  to  the  blast,  and  stood  with 
drooping  head  and  reeking  flanks,  trembling  in  every  limb, 
until  its  violence  had  passed. 

Wet  and  uncomfortable,  we  started  once  more,  but  our 
troubles  were  not  yet  over.  We  had,  as  we  thought,  left 
forever  the  nauseous  and  disgusting  water  of  the  Brazos 
country,  and  after  our  pleasant  bivouac,  were  all  refreshed 
and  cheered  by  the  prospect  of  better  times  in  our  eastward 

march  to  camp,  when,  after  a  long  ride  in  our  wet  clothes,  we 

15 


166  NOTES   TAKEN. 

halted  for  the  night,  upon  the  banks  of  a  fine  running  stream, 
and  unsaddling,  prepared  for  rest  and  repose,  supposing  of 
course,  that  the  water  was  as  good  as  that  of  Panther  Creek, 
but  oh,  what  a  disappointment !  Quite  as  bad  in  salt  and 
gypsum  as  the  waters  of  the  Upper  Brazos,  this  had  the 
addition  of  more  sulphur,  and  some  rice  cooked  in  it  for  the 
invalids,  tasted  precisely  as  if  mixed  with  gunpowder ;  and  to 
cap  the  climax  the  rain  again  began  to  pour  down  in  torrents. 
We  had  to  make  the  best  of  our  situation,  however,  and  to 
obviate  the  evils  that  beset  us,  with  the  means  in  our  power. 

We  had  taken  no  precaution  to  refill  our  water-bags  at 
Panther  Creek,  feeling  sure,  as  I  before  remarked,  of  finding 
plenty,  but  about  half  a  pint  per  man  remained  in  them, 
which  tasted  strongly  of  the  gum,  and  having  been  heated  and 
cooled  several  times,  was  a  nauseous  dose.  With  this  we 
made  some  coffee,  and  building  a  fire  under  shelter  of  a  bank, 
our  Indians  cooked  a  turkey,  after  their  fashion.  We  then 
prepared  quarters  for  the  night. 

A  tent  fly  had  been  brought  along,  as  an  awning  to  noon 
under,  and  by  stretching  a  lariat  between  two  trees,  we 
managed  to  make  a  triangular  covering,  open  at  both  ends 
and  just  wide  enough  to  hold  our  party,  provided  no  man 
required  more  than  his  length  and  breadth  to  lay  upon. 

Under  this  we  crept  in  our  wet  clothes,  and  many  an 
impatient  groan  and  exclamation,  told  how  uncomfortable  our 
quarters  were,  and  how  heartily  we  wished  for  morning. 

Conner  and  the    Indians  went  to  work,   and  in  an    in- 


DELICIOUS    DREAMS.  167 

credibly  short  space  of  time,  constructed  for  themselves  a 
most  primitive  but  excellent  protection  for  the  night. 

Selecting  two  small  mesquite  trees,  growing  near  each 
other,  they  brought  them  together  at  top,  to  form  the  doon 
and  then  cutting  poles,  bent  them  in  semicircles  from  the 
rear,  all  meeting  in  a  point  at  the  top,  and  covering  this  frame 
with  blankets  and  horse-cloths,  forming  a  fac  simile  of  an  old 
fashioned  gig  top,  under  which  they  all  lay  till  morning.  Our 
sick  man  was  here  so  ill  that  we  were  in  doubts  about  being 
able  to  get  him  to  camp.  "We  slept  restlessly  and  only  from 
sheer  fatigue,  our  misery  made  more  complete,  by  the  attacks 
of  musquitoes,  gnats,  &c.,  who,  like  ourselves,  seemed  to  have 
sought  shelter  in  our  miserable  tent. 

I  realized  this  night  what  I  had  often  read  of,  viz. :  the 
delicious  dreams  of  water  and  cooling  beverages,  persons  who 
are  suffering  from  thirst  experience.  I  fancied  myself  eating 
ice  cream,  Roman  punch  and  sherbet,  and  revelled  in  their 
enjoyment,  only  to  feel  ten  times  more  thirsty  when  I  awoke. 

August  5th. — Morning  dawned  upon  us  with  a  clear 
unclouded  sky,  and  its  first  streaks  found  us  on  our  eastward 
march,  glad  to  find  relief  even  in  the  motion  of  our  horses 
from  the  sufferings  of  the  night. 

Much  more  rain  had  fallen  in  the  section  we  reached  after 
a  ride  of  two  hours,  so  that  we  began  to  find  rain-water  in  all 
the  holes  and  ravines  we  passed,  and  it  is  truly  astonishing 
what  a  quantity  of  water  the  system  can  hold  after  a  long 
deprivation  ;  canteen  after  canteen  was  emptied,  and  still 


168  NOTES   TAKEN. 

whenever  water  appeared,  each  strove  to  be  first  to  reach  it, 
and  equally  so  with  our  animals,  their  thirst  seemed 
insatiable. 

In  crossing  a  ravine  I  found  a  curious  bush,  the  leaf  and 
stalk  like  the  willow,  with  branches  of  balls  on  the  limbs, 
similar  to  the  sycamore,  some  green,  some  white,  and  others 
deep  maroon,  the  different  stages  of  the  maturity  of  the 
plant.  Conner  said  it  was  the  button  willow,  a  medical  plant 
used  by  the  Indians  in  cases  of  dysentery. 

The  plain  was  undulating  and  crossed  at  intervals  by  lime- 
stone ridges,  timber  mesquite  ;  the  soil  good  and  covered  with 
a  rich  coat  of  buffalo  grass. 

We  saw  many  deer  and  wolves,  and  about  ten,  A.  M.,  came 
upon  a  chain  of  lakes,  seven  in  number,  the  largest  about 
three  hundred  .yards  long  and  twenty  wide,  the  water  clear 
and  sweet,  and  filled  with  catfish  and  soft  turtles. 

Here  we  nooned,  dining  off  some  delicious  catfish,  cooked 
in  the  Major's  best  style,  whose  kindness,  in  this  respect, 
throughout  our  dreary  journey,  can  never  fade  from  our 
memories. 

We  found  the  insects  excessively  annoying,  which  sur- 
prised us  very  much,  as  the  banks  of  the  lake  were  steep 
and  rocky,  and  no  marshy  ground  or  mud  in  the  vicinity, 
We  were  particularly  annoyed  by  large  black  gnats,  about  the 
size  of  a  common  house-fly,  and  most  inveterate  blood  suckers. 

I  may  remark  here,  that  on  the  head  waters  of  the  Brazos 
and  Witchita,  insect  life  entirely  disappears,  or  at  least  is  so 


FAIRY   SPRING.  109 

sparse  as  to  be  scarcely  noticeable,  a  natural  consequence 
of  the  barren  and  desolate  character  of  that  region. 

In  the  afternoon  we  changed  our  course  north,  towards 
the  dividing  ridge,  between  the  Big  Witchita  and  the  Brazos. 
We  crossed  many  fine  limestone  streams,  and  through  the 
clear  water,  could  see  the  bed  of  the  streams,  perfect 
pavements  of  large  slabs  of  limestones,  smooth  and  jointed, 
as  if  done  artificially.  This  occurring  in  every  case  made  it 
remarkable  and  worthy  of  note. 

We  reached  the  ridge  and  passed  along  the  top,  making  a 
very  long  march,  before  we  found,  an  hour  after  sunset,  a  most 
copious  and  beautiful  limestone  spring,  which  struck  me  so 
singularly  that  I  have  described  it  minutely. 

In  a  gentle  undulation  of  the  prairie,  on  the  eastern  side  of 
the  ridge,  we  found  this  spring,  rising  out  of  the  ground  and 
enclosed  on  three  sides  by  a  rectangular  wall  about  four  feet 
high;  at  the  narrowest  part  about  six  feet  wide,  and  in 
length  about  ten  feet ;  a  small  outlet  emptied  the  overflow 
into  an  irregular  pool,  large  enough  to  contain  sufficient  water 
for  our  thirsty  animals,  whilst  we  had  the  fountain  for  our- 
selves. 

It  was  a  surprise  and  almost  like  a  dream,  after  the  hard- 
featured  country  we  had  passed  through,  and  our  bivouac 
gave  ample  evidence  of  this  cheering  change  in  our  circum- 
stances, for  to  crown  all,  a  bright  full  moon  shone  over  us. 
We  forgot  fatigue,  hunger  and  thirst,  and  a  very  late  hour 

found  us  enjoying  song,  joke  and  conversation,  until  drowsiness 
15* 


170  NOTES    TAKEN. 

overtook  us  in  the  midst,  when,  wrapped  in  our  blankets,  a 
few  hours  gave  us  refreshment  for  another  ride, 

During  our  afternoon  march,  a  rattlesnake  of  a  new  species, 
as  we  thought,  appeared  in  our  path,  and  struck  the  Doctor 
on  the  sole  of  his  boot,  whilst  on  horseback.  It  was  dis- 
patched without  ceremony,  but  in  the  hurry,  so  much  mangled 
that  we  could  do  no  more  than  take  a  general  description  of 
it.  It  was  orange-colored  on  the  belly,  white  ground  and 
black  marked  in  diamond  upon  the  back,  and  had  eight  rattles. 
It  was  very  vicious,  making  battle  after  it  was  badly  wounded. 
This  was  the  first  time  that  any  one  of  our  party  had  come 
near  a  catastrophe  from  this  source  ;  a  lucky  escape  ! 

August  6th. — At  sunrise  we  again  ascended  the  ridge,  and 
marching  in  a  north-east  course  along  the  top,  found  large 
herds  of  deer.  The  soil  very  fertile,  and  mesquite  timber 
larger  than  any  heretofore  met  with.  The  Doctor,  attracted 
by  the  large  quantities  of  gum  exuding  from  these  trees,  col- 
lected several  pounds  of  it,  which  he  intended  to  analyze. 

The  tree  is  beyond  doubt  a  species  of  acacia,  the  gum 
having  the  same  appearance  and  taste  of  the  gum-arabic, 
and  exuding  in  sufficient  quantities  to  warrant  its  collection 
as  an  article  of  commerce,  which  would  make  a  useful  and 
profitable  employment  for  the  wandering  Indians,  if  they 
could  be  induced  to  turn  their  attention  to  it.* 

Soon  the  dividing  ridge  was  found  to  be  abruptly  broken 

*  Since  our  return,  an   analysis  has  been  made,  and  the  report  to  the  War 


SHOOTING   FISH.  171 

into  a  succession  of  bluffs,  and  a  beautiful  view  spread  before 
us.  The  Brazos  in  the  distance,  numerous  short  rocky  bluffs, 
opening  with  vistas  of  naesquite  flats,  and  our  far  off  camp, 
which  we  were  all  so  anxious  to  reach,  lying  in  a  clump  of 
elms,  at  a  distance  of  twenty  miles,  discernible  from  our 
elevated  position. 

"We  descended,  and  wound  through  the  openings  in  the 
bluffs  for  some  miles,  the  soil  very  rich,  grass  and  timber  in 
abundance,  until  we  came  to  a  fine  spring,  shaded  by  a  grove 
of  button  willow,  near  which  was  a  Kickapoo  camp  of  seventy 
lodges,  making,  with  five  to  a  lodge,  three  hundred  and  fifty 
souls. 

They  had  just  moved  camp,  and  from  the  well-picked 
bones  and  lack  of  stench  or  scraps  about,  must  have  been 
on  very  short  allowance. 

A  mile  farther  we  struck  a  creek,  winding  its  broad,  clear 
stream  over  a  flat  rocky  bottom,  and  abounding  in  fish  and 
soft  turtles,  a  most  inviting  place  so  much  so,  that  the 
Captain,  immediately  decided  to  move  over  here  as  soon 
after  reaching  our  camp  as  possible. 

department,  proves  it  to  be  equal  to  the  gum  arabic,  envelopes  having  been 
sealed  with  it. 

The  subject  of  employing  the  Indians,  in  collecting  this  gum,  was  seriously 
entertained  by  gentlemen  on  the  frontier  when  we  left,  and  no  doubt  the 
experiment  will  be  made  and  with  every  probability  of  profitable  success,  as  the 
immense  quantity  of  mesquite  trees  in  that  region,  cannot  fail  to  afford  an 
inexhaustible  supply,  besides,  whereas  now  the  gum  only  exudes,  from  acci- 
dental openings  in  the  bark,  a  system  of  bleeding,  similar  to  that  pursued  with 
the  sugar  maple,  must  produce  corresponding  results. 


172  NOTES   TAKEN. 

Here  for  the  first  time  I  saw  fish  shot  from  horseback. 
Whilst  the  Major's  horse  was  drinking  an  enormous  cat- 
fish made  his  appearance,  and  lay  still  long  enough  to 
receive  a  bullet  from  his  famous  revolver,  which  had  done 
such  good  service  in  ridding  us  of  rattlesnakes  during  our 
trip.  Conner  told  me  he  had  frequently  seen  the  Witchitas, 
and  other  Indians,  spear  fish  on  horseback.  Their  plan  was 
for  two  or  three  to  ride  into  the  stream,  armed  with  their 
spears,  and  as  one  became  tired  another  took  his  place,  until 
after  chasing  the  fish  from  hole  to  hole,  they  worried  them 
down  and  speared  them  with  ease.  Farther  south,  the 
Indians  take  large  quantities  of  the  electric  eel,  in  the 
following  way: 

The  eel  abounds  in  pools.  A  band  of  Indians,  will  drive 
their  whole  herd  of  horses  and  mules  into  a  pool  and  keep 
them  moving,  the  eels  constantly  striking  their  legs,  until  the 
supply  of  electricity  is  exhausted,  when  the  fish  becomes 
torpid  and  is  easily  taken.  The  philosophy  of  this  is,  that 
after  a  discharge  of  electricity  from  the  fish,  it  requires  some 
time  for  the  electric  function  to  restore  itself  to  sufficient 
vigor  to  act  with  effect. 

The  crossing,  at  this  creek,  being  composed  of  one  solid  slab 
of  limestone,  smooth  and  level,  the  Captain  called  it  Flat 
Rock  Creek. 

We  continued  our  course,  very  anxious  to  get  to  camp,  as 
the  sun  was  so  intensely  hot ;  thermometer  one  hundred  and 
four  degrees  in  the  shade. 


REACH   CAMP.  173 

We  crossed  the  Brazos  and  came  to  a  very  rough  country, 
difficult  to  pass  through,  on  account  of  briars  and  scrub  oaks, 
and  about  one,  P.  M.,  reached  our  camp,  ten  miles  from  where 
we  left  it,  the  gentlemen  in  charge  having  moved  to  this 
point  to  get  purer  water,  and  were  now  encamped  in  a  beau- 
tiful valley,  surrounded  by  high  bluffs,  on  one  of  which  was  a 
Camanche  grave. 

We  found  several  cases  of  sickness  in  camp,  and  among  the 
rest  a  bad  case  of  black  typhoid  fever — the  first  severe  case  of 
any  kind  we  had  had  since  we  had  been  out. 

And  now  having  finished  our  perilous  trip  into  those  unex- 
plored and  inhospitable  regions,  and  returned  once  more  to 
enjoy  the  few  comforts  we  left  behind  us,  but  one  opinion  pre- 
vailed with  us,  viz. :  that  the  dangers  we  encountered  and  the 
privations  we  suffered  had  not  been  in  vain,  establishing  as 
they  did  the  fact,  that  for  all  purposes  of  human  habitation 
— except  it  might  be  for  a  penal  colony — those  wilds  are 
totally  unfit.  Destitute  of  soil,  timber,  water,  game,  and 
everything  else  that  can  sustain  or  make  life  tolerable,  they 
must  remain  as  they  are,  uninhabited  and  uninhabitable. 

Perhaps  some  use  may  be  made  of  the  mineral  resources, 
but  that  will  have  to  be  done  under  a  load  of  peril  to  life,  that 
few  will  be  willing  to  encounter,  none  to  endure  for  any  length 
of  time.  Our  party  certainly,  having  left  them  without  regret, 
will  never  return  to  them,  except  in  memory,  and  then  in 
reminiscences  too  painful  far  to  be  pleasant. 

August  7th. — We  moved  camp  at  dawn  of  day  to  Flat 


174  NOTES   TAKEN. 

Rock  Creek,  where  the  natural  advantages  formed  for  us  by 
far  the  most  inviting  and  pleasant  resting  place  to  recover 
from  our  fatigue  and  toil  that  we  had  had  during  our  whole 
trip. 

A  grove  of  stately  and  gigantic  elms  lined  the  bank  of  the 
stream  for  a  quarter  of  a  mile.  Under  the  trees  grew  a  rich 
growth  of  wild  rye.  In  front  stretched  a  rolling  prairie ;  our 
rear  closed  in  and  defended  by  the  clear,  deep  waters  of  the 
creek. 

In  a  semicircle  in  front,  and  springing  from  the  two 
wings  of  camp,  were  parked  our  wagons  to  defend  our  front, 
enclosing  a  space  in  which  to  herd  our  oxen  and  tether  our 
mules  and  horses.  Under  the  trees  were  pitched  our  white 
tents,  a  bright  moon  shining  over  all.  Such  was  our  camp 
at  Flat  Eock  Creek,  a  cozy  picture  of  safety  and  comfort, 
which  to  us,  the  returned  vagabonds  of  the  wilderness,  had 
even  more  of  romance  than  our  late  bivouacs  had  of  reality. 

The  stream  was  filled  with  catfish,  eels  and  turtles.  I 
caught  three  varieties  of  the  latter,  viz.,  the  snapper,  the  soft 
shell  and  a  black  mud  turtle,  striped  with  yellow  and  red  on 
the  head,  body  and  legs.  Of  these  the  soft  turtle  was  best 
and  more  delicate  than  the  green  turtle,  either  in  soup  or 
fricasee.  It  has  an  oval,  dorsal  shell — hard  in  the  centre, 
with  a  broad,  soft  rim.  The  umbilical  shell  is,  like  the  green 
turtle,  white.  It  has  claws  instead  of  flippers,  but  the  most 
striking  peculiarity  is  the  head,  terminated  with  a  snout  like 
a  hog,  about  half  an  inch  long. 


CAMP  CONCERTS.  175 

The  whole  surface  of  the  stream  was  dotted  at  intervals 
with  these  heads  when  the  creatures  came  up  to  breathe,  and 
as  they  bit  readily  at  the  hook,  any  quantity  were  taken. 

The  catfish  and  eels  were  of  the  most  marvellous  size  and 
delicacy,  so  that  our  stay  here  was  spent  in  feasting  to  our 
heart's  content  on  food  which  did  not  require  a  hungry  man 
to  relish,  but  which  to  us  was  doubly  sweet  after  the  priva- 
tions of  the  past. 

August  8th. — We  remained  quiet  all  day,  enjoying  our 
cool,  breezy  camp,  and  with  the  exception  of  a  row  among 
the  teamsters,  ending  in  one  being  badly  wounded  and  his 
antagonist  tied  to  a  tree  in  the  sun,  the  day  passed  pleas- 
antly, nor  did  we  forget  our  usual  evening  concerts,  now  that 
the  chorus  was  full. 

We  retired  early  to  prepare  for  our  march  to  the  Clear 
Fork  in  the  morning,  where  we  expected  to  meet  the  Ca- 
manches,  and  anticipated  an  interesting  time. 


176  NOTES   TAKEN. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

FLAT  KOCK  CREEK  TO  CLEAR  FORK  OF  THE  BRAZOS. 

Camp  in  flames. — Hot  weather. — Great  change. — Accident  to  Train  — Jacobs 
leaves. — Jackson  the  Delaware. — First  Cainanches  met. — Description  of  Ke- 
tum-e-see  and  wives.— Talk  held.— Camp  at  Double  Mountain  Fork.— Chief 
and  wives  leave. — Large  Cactus  met  with. — Reach  the  Clear  Fork. — Stem's 
Bancho.— Indian  Justice.— Camp  on  Clear  Fork. 

AUGUST  9th. — "We  marched  early  and  left  our  late  pleasant 
camp  in  flames  behind  us.  The  tall  rye  and  rank  grass 
made  a  fierce  and  rapid  conflagration,  which  for  days  after- 
wards we  could  trace  by  the  smoke  on  the  horizon. 

The  day  proved  most  intensely  hot,  and  to  our  disappoint- 
ment water  was  very  scarce  on  our  route.  About  noon,  a 
pool  of  tepid  water  was  discovered  in  a  ravine,  and  as  the 
prairie  had  been  very  much  broken,  making  hard  work  for 
the  oxen,  many  of  which  gave  out,  and  one  dropped  dead, 
the  Captain  concluded  to  halt  and  encamp  until  next 
morning.  We  camped  upon  a  hill  very  hot  and  dry,  and  had 
scarcely  got  settled  when  the  prairie  took  fire,  and  was 
extinguished  with  difficulty,  making  warm  work  for  a  hot 
day. 

The  contrast  to  our  stay  at  Flat  Rock  Creek  was  far  from 
pleasant,  but  we  had  become  so  accustomed  to  take  it  (to  use 
a  trite  expression,)  rough  and  tumble,  that  our  spirits  were 


OUR   GUIDE.  177 

not  much  affected.  We  all  seemed  determined  to  enjoy  the 
fat  when  we  could  get  it,  and  to  be  happy  when  we  had  to 
put  up  with  the  lean. 

Though  deer  were  plenty  and  the  Delawares  kept  our 
larder  well  supplied,  still  we  passed  an  uncomfortable  after- 
noon and  a  more  uncomfortable  night,  as  insects  were  nume- 
rous and  annoying. 

August  10th. — "We  marched  at  two  A.  M. — the  prairie  very 
rough,  broken  and  almost  bare  of  grass.  Soon  an  accident 
occurred  to  the  train,  when  Jacobs  gave  us  a  specimen  of 
the  nerve  and  reliability  of  the  Indian  upon  his  own  powers 
and  sagacity. 

Our  anxiety  to  hear  from  home  and  friends  induced  us 
at  Flat  Eock  Creek,  to  prevail  upon  him  to  go  into  Fort 
Belknap,  mail  letters  sent  by  him,  and  bring  us  what 
might  be  there. 

Never  having  been  in  this  country  before,  he  would  have 
to  depend  upon  powers  which,  with  Indians,  seem  to  me  to 
be  instinct  more  than  calculation.  He  consented  to  go,  but 
proposed  to  march  with  us  until  daylight  this  morning.  The 
accident  detaining  us  some  time,  he  became  impatient,  and 
suddenly  wheeled  his  horse  at  a  tangent,  and  grunting  out, 
half  in  soliloquy,  "  May  be  so  he  too  long,"  disappeared  in 
the  gloom,  to  our  left.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  tenth  day 
from  this  date,  he  made  his  appearance  in  our  camp  on  the 
Clear  Fork,  seventy-five  miles  from  this  point,  bringing  our 

letters,  papers,  &c..  from  Fort  Belknap,  where  he  arrived  on 

16 


178  NOTES   TAKEN. 

the  fourth  day  after  he  left  us,  having  found  his  way  there 
and  back  through  this  trackless  wilderness  as  true  as  the 
needle  to  the  Pole.  Surely,  what  life  can  be  more  calculated 
to  harden  the  frame  and  steel  the  nerves,  than  this,  one  of 
such  bold  self-reliance. 

One  of  our  Delawares,  Jackson,  amused  us  very  much  during 
our  ride.  He  had  always  appeared  to  us  demure  and  morose 
in  temperament,  but  to  our  surprise  and  amusement  he  broke 
out  with  one  of  our  camp-fire  songs,  which,  requiring  a  good 
deal  of  action,  made  it  very  ludicrous,  the  whole  performance 
proving  to  me  my  before-formed  opinion,  that  the  Indian  is 
far  from  being  the  non-observant  creature  he  is  supposed  to 
be.  The  tone,  the  manner,  and  gesticulation  of  the  original 
of  this  song,  were  expressed,  though  somewhat  in  broad  bur- 
lesque, yet  sufficiently  accurate  to  prove  a  quick  perception 
of  the  ridiculous  and  close  imitative  powers. 

Shortly  after  daylight  we  reached  a  deep,  broad  bed  of  a 
creek,  which  requiring  heavy  work  to  bridge,  we  halted  and 
encamped. 

Our  amateur  sportsmen  started  in  pursuit  of  game,  and 
found  the  creek  full  of  deep  water,  a  mile  below  camp,  and 
plenty  of  catfish,  gar,  and  soft  turtle. 

A  new  species  of  gar  was  seen  here,  of  a  deep,  shiny  black 
colour,  the  shape,  size,  &c.,  the  same  as  the  grey  gar. 

About  noon,  Indians  were  seen  approaching,  and  pretty 
soon  Ke-tum-e-see,  a  chief  of  the  Southern  band  of  Camanches 
rode  in,  accompanied  by  two  of  his  wives.  He  told  us  that  he 


NARROW   ESCAPE.  179 

had  been  riding  very  hard  and  far  to  overtake  us.  He  heard 
we  were  in  the  country,  and  endeavoured  to  persuade  some  of 
his  band  to  visit  us,  but  they  were  too  lazy,  so  he  determined 
to  come  alone,  and  had  been  six  days  on  our  trail,  following 
it  through  a  good  portion  of  the  Upper  Brazos  country, 
where,  like  ourselves,  he  came  near  perishing  for  want  of 
water. 

In  addition,  he  gave  us  the  agreeable  intelligence,  that  a 
war  party  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  northern  Camanches, 
Apaches  and  Navajoes,  had  been  hovering  around  us, 
between  the  Big  Witchita  and  Brazos  for  two  days. 

They  were  on  a  foray  to  the  frontier  of  Mexico,  to  take 
revenge  for  some  of  their  bands,  shot  whilst  on  one  of  their 
marauding  expeditions  last  year,  and  coming  across  our  trail, 
followed  it  until  reconnoitering  and  finding  but  thirteen  in 
our  party,  they  hesitated  to  attack  us,  feeling  sure  that  a 
large  command  must  be  in  the  neighborhood,  as  they  could 
not  believe  that  so  small  a  force  of  white  men  would  venture 
so  far  into  their  fastnesses,  unless  supported  at  short 
distance  by  a  large  party— so  that  the  order  of  things  was 
reversed,  in  our  case,  and  in  our  weakness,  we  found  our 
immunity  from  annihilation. 

We  felt  much  obliged  to  them  for  their  forbearance,  and  on 
questioning  him  further,  found  out  the  night  when  they  were 
nearest  us.  It  was  the  night  when  the  gentlemen  of  the 
party  were  on  guard,  and  we  all  had  remarked  how  unusually 
restless  our  horses  and  mules  were,  a  sure  sign  of  danger  near. 


180  NOTES   TAKEN. 

Ke-tum-e-see,  was  a  fine-looking  man,  about  fifty  years  old, 
full  six  feet  high,  with  a  dark  red  bronze  complexion. 

His  wives — (these  were  two,  and  the  youngest  of  four, 
whom  he  commanded)  were  mere  children,  the  one  about 
eighteen  and  the  other  not  sixteen  years  old. 

Both  were  pleasing  in  their  appearance,  but  entirely  dif- 
ferent ;  the  youngest  being  chubby  and  dark,  the  eldest  lean 
and  as  fair  as  a  quadroon.  Whether  it  was  by  accident  or 
from  choice  that  the  chief  had  made  his  selection,  I  know  not, 
perhaps,  a  spice  of  both,  though  he  gave  us  to  understand  he 
was  quite  an  epicure  in  such  matters. 

An  odd  mixture  of  wealth  and  poverty,  marked  this  trio. 
Ke-tum-e-see  was  dressed  in  corduroy  leggins  and  buckskin 
moccasins,  much  worn,  an  old,  torn,  greasy,  checkered 
cotton  coat,  and  a  sixpenny  straw  hat,  whilst  his  bridle  was 
ornamented  with  perhaps  fifty  dollars  worth  of  silver. 

His  wives  were  attired  in  dark  calico  shirts,  with  leggings 
and  moccasins  "in  one  piece,  like  a  boot;  their  clothes  thin, 
dirty  and  common,  and  heads  bare  ;  the  hair  short,  thick  and 
uncombed,  whilst  their  bridles  were  similarly  ornamented  as 
the  chiefs ;  and  the  youngest,  who  appeared  to  be  the  favorite, 
wore  in  addition,  a  girdle  studded  with  silver  brooches,  very 
heavy,  showy  and  costly.  The  wives  rode  astride,  driving  the 
pack  horses,  who  bore  their  scanty  stock  of  cooking  utensils, 
blankets,  skins,  &c.,  and  as  soon  as  they  arrived,  set  diligently 
to  work  to  unsaddle,  unbridle  and  lariat  the  horses,  and  make 
from  bushes  and  blankets  a  temporary  shelter  for  their  lord. 


THE    TALK.  181 

The  chief  threw  aside  his  riding  dress  and  came  up  to  our 
tent  to  dine,  "  in  puris  naturalibus,"  except  his  red  blanket. 
The  only  ornament  or  appendage  he  wore  was  a  long  tail  of 
buffalo  hair,  depending  from  a  bunch  of  eagle's  feathers, 
fastened  on  the  crown  of  his  head,  and  reaching  in  a  four-fold 
plait  to  the  ground ;  a  mark  of  his  rank  in  the  tribe.  In 
eating,  drinking  and  smoking,  he  appeared  very  abstemious, 
but  this  turned  out  to  be  "  for  the  nonce."  He  wrote  (or  at 
least  copied)  our  names,  and  told  Conner,  who  was  interpreter, 
to  tell  the  captain,  that  when  the  sun  went  down,  he  wanted 
to  talk. 

In  the  afternoon  the  elder  of  the  wives  visited  us  and 
interested  us  very  much  by  her  simplicity  and  curiosity.  A 
burning  glass,  compass  and  magnet  were  shown  her,  and  her 
delight  knew  no  bounds,  until  finally  the  old  chief,  either 
fearing  she  might  learn  too  much,  or  from  jealousy,  ordered  her 
away,  in  a  short  gruff  tone,  and  retired  himself  to  his 
shealing.  At  sun-down  he  returned  for  the  talk.  After  a 
smoke  he  commenced,  holding  in  his  hand  a  bundle  of  short 
stalks  of  grass.  Handing  these,  one  by  one,  to  the  Captain, 
he  made  his  remarks  upon  each,  representing  by  each,  one  of 
the  chiefs  or  war  captains  of  his  band,  and  giving  his  dispo- 
sition towards  the  whites.  After  remarking  upon  four  of 
high  standing,  and  three  of  mediocrity,  he  bundled  the 
balance,  eight  in  number,  in  a  bundle,  and  handed  them 
together,  with  a  grunt  and  remark,  "  no  count."  He  then 

expressed  himself  as  anxious  to  come  into  any  measures  pro- 
16* 


182  NOTES   TAKEN. 

posed  by  Captain  Marcy ;  swore  eternal  friendship  for  the 
whites,  and  ended  by  volunteering  to  return  and  induce  his 
people,  by  all  means,  to  meet  us  on  the  Clear  Fork.  Another 
smoke  all  round,  and  the  talk  closed ;  the  chief  went  to  his 
shealing,  and  we  to  repose,  after  our  early  start  and  hot  day, 
— thermometer  one  hundred  and  four  in  the  shade. 

August  llth. — At  one,  A.  M.,  we  were  on  the  march  again, 
and  moving  very  slowly  on  account  of  the  roughness  of  the 
prairie. 

Ke-tum-e-see  and  wives  marched  with  us,  intending  to 
spend  the  day,  and  leave  in  the  morning  for  the  camp  of  his 
band. 

Arriving  at  Double  Mountain  Fork  of  the  Brazos,  we  found 
so  much  work  to  be  done,  in  bridging,  that  orders  were  given 
to  encamp. 

The  heat  was  intense,  the  thermometer,  at  nine  A.  M.,  one 
hundred  and  five  degrees  in  the  shade,  the  stream  was  full  of 
fish  and  turtles,  so  that  those  who  chose  to  brave  the  heat,  had 
fine  sport. 

We  saw  but  little  of  the  chief  and  his  wives,  as  they  were 
resting  all  day.  A  general  lassitude  also  pervaded  our  camp, 
from  early  rising,  long  marches  and  intense  heat,  so  that  the 
day  passed  quietly. 

During  our  march,  we  found  plenty  of  the  missletoe  on  the 
Mesquite  trees ;  we  found  limestone  and  iron  ore  in  abund- 
ance, the  timber,  elm,  mesquite,  wild  china,  and  post  oak. 

August  12th. — As  early  as  usual  we  were  in  motion,  and 


PRICKLY    PEAR.  183 

passed  the  Double  Mountain  Fork,  entering  immediately, 
upon  a  very  fertile  region,  alternately  with  mesquite  flats  and 
limestone  ridges. 

The  chief  and  his  wives,  left  us,  in  true  wild  Indian  style 
"  sans  ceremonie."  They  had  been  riding  in  advance  of  the 
train,  and  suddenly  wheeling  to  the  right  disappeared  over  a 
ridge,  without  turning  to  say  good  bye,  or  give  any  other  signal 
of  their  intention. 

The  day  was  intensely  hot,  thermometer  one  hundred  and 
six  degrees,  and  we  made  a  very  long  march,  being  anxious 
to  get  to  the  Clear  Fork,  for  fear  the  Camanches  if  there, 
might  get  tired  waiting,  leave,  and  thus  defeat  our  plans  for 
them. 

In  crossing  a  limestone  ridge,  an  extensive  prairie,  spread 
out  before  us,  covered  as  far  as  we  could  see,  with  a  very 
rank  growth  of  sunflower,  a  sure  indication  of  a  rich  soil. 
Crossing  this  with  difficulty,  for  it  was  so  thick  and  tall  that 
we  had  to  force  our  horses  through  it,  we  came  suddenly 
upon  the  road  from  Belknap  to  Chadbourne,  and  marching  in 
a  northerly  direction  encamped  about  seven  miles  from  the 
Clear  Fork,  near  two  pools  of  tolerable  water. 

On  this  prairie  were  some  gigantic  growths  of  the  prickly 
pear.  Some  we  passed  were  fifteen  feet  high  and  forty  in 
circumference,  of  the  broad  palmated  species. 

In  New  Mexico,  this  plant  is  used  as  a  most  nutritious  and 
excellent  food  for  stock.  It  is  cut  with  a  hooked  knife  (made 
on  purpose  and  fastened  on  a  long  handle,)  a*nd  laid  in  layers 


184  NOTES   TAKEN. 

with  dry  coarse  grass  between,  the  whole  then  set  fire  too, 
when  a  few  minutes  deprives  the  plant  of  its  thorny  prickles, 
and  it  is  then  eaten  with  great  avidity  by  stock;  an 
excellent  substitute  in  a  country  where  grass  is  so  scarce. 

Immense  flocks  of  doves  covered  the  plain,  attracted  by 
the  seeds  of  the  sunflowers,  and  we  shot  numbers  for  our  mess 
table. 

,  August  13th. — At  an  early  hour  we  reached  the  Clear  Fork, 
which,  at  the  crossing,  was  about  thirty  yards  wide,  running 
through  perpendicular  rocky  banks  over  a  rocky  bed,  the 
water  beautifully  clear  and  the  valley  of  the  Clear  Fork  about 
a  mile  wide. 

To  our  surprise,  on  ascending  the  opposite  bank,  the  road 
wound  through  a  large  field  of  oats  on  one  side  and  corn  on 
the  other,  and  in  the  distance,  we  saw  a  house,  the  first  we 
had  seen  for  near  three  months — it  carried  us  back  to  home 
and  friends.  In  this  solitary  spot,  Colonel  Stem,  late  Indian 
agent,  established  this  rancho,  about  three  years  since.  The 
corn  and  oats  were  put  in  with  the  labour  of  eight  men,  and 
by  simply  turning  over  a  furrow  with  the  plough,  no  necessity 
for  harrowing  or  pulverizing.  The  crop  sold,  in  the  ground, 
for  forty-five  'hundred  dollars,  a  proof  of  the  fertility  of  the 
soil. 

The  Colonel,  on  his  return  from  his  rancho  in  February, 
1854,  in  company  with  a  friend,  was  murdered  by  a  wandering 
party  of  Kickapoos  ;  they  shot  at  them,  but  missing,  clubbed 
their  rifles  and  beat  them  to  death,  then  stealing  what  was 


INDIAN   JUSTICE.  185 

most  valuable,  made  their  escape.  This  occurred  within  ten 
miles  of  Fort  Belknap. 

The  punishment  of  these  murderers  is  an  instance  of  the 
manner  in  which  justice  is  done  among  these  barbarous  people. 
From  information  given  by  a  boy  who  was  with  the  Indians 
at  the  time  the  murders  were  committed,  the  commanding 
officer  at  Fort  Arbuckle  sent  for  the  Kickapoo  chiefs,  and 
told  them  the  murderers  must  be  given  up,  at  the  same  time 
a  large  reward  was  offered  for  their  apprehension. 

The  chiefs  told  him  that  they  had  been  in  council  all  night 
upon  the  matter ;  that  they  knew  the  murders  were  committed 
by  two  of  their  band,  who  were  absent  on  assembling  the  men 
of  the  tribe,  and  that  they  had  sent  their  people  out  by  threes 
in  search,  so  that  any  person  meeting  one  Kickapoo  alone,  or 
two  in  company,  might  immediately  arrest  him  or  them.  In 
a  short  time  one  of  the  murderers  was  arrested  by  his  own 
people,  firmly  bound,  and  placed  on  horseback  to  be  taken 
into  the  fort.  A  short  distance  from  that  place,  he  managed 
to  free  himself  from  his  bonds,  and  throwing  himself  from  the 
horse  attempted  to  escape,  but  was  immediately  shot  down 
and  his  dead  body  carried  in  and  delivered  to  the  officer  in 
command.  The  other  made  his  escape,  but  after  eluding 
pursuit  for  a  time  made  his  way  to  a  village  where  his 
brother  lived.  Entering  this,  he  commenced  exclaiming  in  a 
loud  voice,  "  I  am  the  murderer  of  Colonel  Stem,  will  no  one 
take  me  and  deliver  me  up  for  punishment  ?"  In  this  way  he 
reached  his  brother's  lodge,  entering  which,  he  said,  "  My 


186  NOTES   TAKEN. 

brother,  I  committed  this  murder.  I  am  tired  of  life.  I  am 
hunted  down  like  a  wild  beast,  and  I  want  to  die.  I  tried  to 
join  the  Camanches,  but  would  have  starved  to  death  before 
I  could  have  found  them."  Food  was  set  before  him,  of 
which  he  partook.  His  brother  and  he  then  walked  out  of 
the  village,  when  the  former  said  to  him,  "My  brother,  you 
have  disgraced  our  tribe,  and  it  is  my  duty  to  kill  you.  I 
have  all  along  told  you  that  your  course  of  life  would  lead 
you  to  this,  and  however  painful  it  may  be  to  me,  yet  justice 
demands  the  sacrifice,  I  must  kill  you."  Stepping  behind 
him  he  then  felled  him  to  the  earth  with  his  tomahawk,  and 
with  repeated  blows  despatched  him.  A  council  was  then 
held,  at  which  the  brother  made  a  speech,  stating  what  he 
had  done,  and  why,  ending  by  calling  for  a  volunteer  to 
behead  the  body  and  take  the  head  into  the  fort,  as  the  dis- 
tance was  too  great  and  the  weather  too  hot  to  take  the 
whole  corpse.  No  one  volunteering,  he  then  said,  "I  must 
do  it  myself,"  which  he  did,  and  carried  the  head  to  Fort 
Arbuckle,  where  it  was  buried.  Such  is  Indian  justice. 

We  passed  the  rancho  and  encamped  about  a  mile  below, 
intending  to  wait  for  the  Camanches,  who  had  not  yet  arrived. 

Soon  after  encamping,  Ke-tum-e-see  again  made  his  appear- 
ance. He  said  he  had  concluded  not  to  take  his  wives  with 
him,  as  it  was  uncertain  where  he  should  find  his  band,  and 
they  might  have  a  long  ride — a  rare  instance  of  consideration 
in  a  wild  Indian.  He  left  them  in  charge  of  Connor,  and 
started  in  course  of  the  afternoon. 


CAMP   ON   CLEAR   FORK.  187 

Our  camp  was  very  convenient  and  picturesque.  A  level 
prairie,  bounded  on  the  west  by  a  range  of  bluffs,  extended  for 
about  six  miles  in  length  and  half  a  mile  wide. 

We  were  encamped  on  the  eastern  edge,  about  one  hundred 
feet  above  the  Clear  Fork,  between  which  and  us  was  a  low 
valley,  shaded  by  noble  pecan  and  elm  trees,  where  the  mess 
fires  were  lighted,  and  the  Delawares  made  their  camp. 

The  prairie  was  destitute  of  timber,  but  very  breezy,  and 
free  from  insects. 

Our  wagons  were  parked  in  a  large  semicircle  in  front,  and 
with  the  valley  and  river  in  our  rear,  we  were  secure  from 
attack.  A  large  and  cool  spring  percolated  from  the  bank  a 
short  distance  below  our  camp,  and,  with  the  fish  and  turtles 
from  the  stream,  we  had  a  very  good  time  during  our  stay, 
which  was  a  long  one. 

Several  deserted  camps  were  scattered  over  the  valley, 
showing  this  to  be  a  favourite  spot  with  the  wild  Indians,  and, 
in  roaming  around,  I  picked  up  beads  and  other  relics. 

The  stream  afforded  delightful  bathing  ground,  which  we 
availed  ourselves  of  during  our  stay,  and  could  now  roll  up  in 
our  blankets  at  night,  with  the  comfortable  assurance  of  no 
more  early  starts  and  long  rides,  under  that  blazing  sun,  for 
some  days — a  great  relief,  with  the  thermometer  averaging 
one  hundred  and  four  degrees  daily,  the  nights,  as  usual, 
always  pleasant,  and  seeming  as  if  made  for  sleep. 


188  NOTES   TAKEN. 


CHAPTEE  XIV. 

CAMP  ON  CLEAR  FORK  OF  THE  BRAZOS. 

Sub-chiefs  arrive.— Incidents  with  the  chiefs.— Story  of  the  German  settlement. 
— Exploring  the  country. — Se-na-co  and  party  arrive. — Description  of  the 
party. — Interesting  woman. — Invalid  described. — Mexican  boy. — Naroni  and 
his  costume.— Camanche  women.— Camanche  lance  and  shield.— Feeding  the 
Indians. — Toilette  of  the  men  described. —Indian  dance. — Dressing  skins. — 
Council  held. — Presents  distributed. — Women  bathing. — Plan  of  hardening 
horses'  hoofs.— Little  Mexican.— Indians  leave.— Remarks  upon  traders.— 
New  species  of  Squirrels. — Ke-tum-e-see  and  the  invalid. — Excitement  in  camp 
Move  camp. 

AUGUST  14th. — When  Major  Neighbours  sent  out  runners 
to  the  Camanches,  he  intimated  to  them  the  plans  of  the 
government,  and  they  in  reply  expressed  their  wish  to  be  set- 
tled upon  the  Clear  Fork,  as  it  was  their  old  hunting  and  win- 
tering ground.  Ke-tum-e-see  having  corroborated  this  state- 
ment— preparations  were  immediately  made  to  explore  in  the 
vicinity  of  camp,  but  about  ten,  A.  M.,  just  as  the  party  were 
about  to  start,  two  sub-chiefs  of  Se-na-co's  band  rode  in  to 
hold  a  talk.  Their  names  were  Qua-ha-we-tah,  or  tall  tree, 
and  Oti,  or  hunting  a  wife.  The  latter  was  by  birth  a  Tonka- 
way,  but  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  Camanches  when  a  child; 
he  had  adopted  their  habits  and  tribe,  and  become  a  chief 
among  them.  Both  were  tall,  powerful,  athletic  men,  very 
savage  in  their  appearance,  scantily  dressed,  and  fully 


OTI.  189 

painted.  They  rode  into  camp  bareheaded,  with  umbrellas 
hoisted,  an  incident  which  occasioned  some  merriment. 

Previous  to  holding  the  talk,  they  improved  their  toilette, 
when  I  perceived  what  gave  Oti  his  more  than  usually  dia- 
bolical appearance,  which  I  could  not  account  for  before  on 
account  of  the  load  of  paint  with  which  his  face  was  covered. 
Producing  a  small  looking  glass  and  a  pair  of  rude  tweezers, 
which  he  used  with  great  dexterity,  he  proceeded  to  pull  out 
every  hair  he  could  find  upon  his  face.  His  hair  on  his  head 
was  cropped  close,  except  the  crown  tuft,  from  which  de- 
pended his  buffalo  hair  plait,  and  commencing  at  the  roots  of 
the  hair  on  his  forehead,  he  pulled  out  eyebrows,  eyelashes, 
beard,  &c.,  and  then  smearing  the  whole  with  yellow  clay, 
streaked  his  eyelids  with  vermillion,  spotted  his  cheeks  with 
the  same,  and  finished  by  daubing  his  chin  with  black,  making 
a  most  hideous  specimen  out  of  himself  in  a  very  short  time 
The  other  was  not  so  particular,  but  with  his  matted  hair, 
hooked  nose,  and  wide  mouth,  was  ugly  enough  without  any 
effort  to  increase  it. 

They  held  their  talk,  and  told  us  that  we  must  not  believe 
Ke-tum-e-see,  that  he  was  a  liar  and  a  scoundrel,  and  that 
they  would  go  off  and  bring  in  Se-na-co,  who  alone  was 
authorized  to  speak  for  the  tribe ;  they  said  the  tribe  was 
friendly,  and  would  accede  to  the  proposed  settlement. 
Rations  were  then  served  to  them,  and  they  passed  the  night 
under  the  trees  in  the  valley,  intending  to  leave  early  in  the 

morning. 

17 


190  NOTES   TAKEN. 

In  the  course  of  the  afternoon  Oti  asked  me  for  some  sugar 
from  the  dish  standing  on  our  camp-table ;  and  as  our  stock 
was  small,  I  took  out  several  large  lumps  and  offered  them. 
He  shook  his  head  and  walked  off,  apparently  angry.  Pretty 
soon  he  returned,  and  pointed  again  to  the  dish.  I  nodded 
my  head,  and  he  deliberately  poured  the  whole  into  his  bag. 
The  same  thing  happened  with  their  rations;  they  refused 
them,  and  the  commissary-corporal  immediately  reported  the 
case  to  the  Captain,  who  told  him  to  double  them ;  this  was 
done,  and  they  took  them  at  once. 

August  15th. — On  coming  out  this  morning,  I  was  surprised 
to  find  the  chiefs  still  lingering  around  camp,  although  having 
saddled  up  their  horses.  I  found  out  that  they  had  seen 
some  whiskey  and  wanted  to  get  it.  Both  were  armed  with 
bows  and  arrows  in  addition  to  their  rifles.  I  tried  to  barter 
for  a  bow,  quiver  and  arrows,  offering  goods  and  money  to 
much  more  than  their  value,  but  no,  they  would  trade  for 
nothing  but  whiskey,  and  upon  my  offering  it,  (which  I 
did  to  try  them,)  were  willing  to  give  their  bows  and  arrows 
for  a  bottle  full. 

Conner  told  me  that  this  was  their  way,  if  they  want  any- 
thing, they  must  have  it,  let  it  cost  what  it  will.  He  said  he 
once  got  a  mule,  which  he  afterwards  sold  for  fifty  dollars,  for 
a  plug  of  tobacco,  and,  as  I  have  observed  before,  I  could 
readily  have  got  the  two  bows,  quivers  and  arrows,  for  a  short 
quart  of  whiskey.  They  care  nothing  about  money,  as  they 
cannot  use  it,  all  they  think  of  is  the  gratification  of  their 


STRANGE   STORY.  191 

appetite,  even  if  this,  as  in  this  instance,  should  cost  them  the 
very  means  by  which  they  sustain  life.  As  I  would  not  give 
them  the  whiskey,  they  mounted  and  rode  off  looking  very 
glum  and  disappointed. 

Conner  told  me  that  it  was  but  a  short  time  since  the  Ca- 
manches  would  drink  'whiskey,  always  refusing  it  and  saying 
that  it  made  fools  of  them  and  they  did  not  like  it,  but  a 
colony  of  Germans  settled  upon  the  upper  waters  of  the 
Canadian,  and  from  frequently  visiting  them  the  appetite  has 
been  acquired  by  occasional  indulgences,  and  now  is  quite 
prevalent  among  them. 

He  related  a  strange  tale  connected  with  this  German 
settlement,  which  although  savoring  so  much  of  the  marvel- 
lous, I  am  obliged  to  believe,  from  his  earnest  asseverations 
of  its  truth,  and  my  own  observations  upon  the  character 
of  the  wild  Indians. 

Shortly  after  the  German  emigration,  a  wild  Camanche 
who  had  never  seen  them,  met  one  in  the  prairie.  The  Ger- 
man wore  his  full  beard,  which  with  his  hair  was  long  and 
shaggy.  Surprised  at  this  unusual  sight,  the  Indian  shot  him 
and  skinned  his  whole  head,  the  skin  having  been  afterwards 
found  in  his  possession,  preserved  and  shown  as  a  specimen 
of  an  unfound  race  of  men. 

Notwithstanding  this  bloody  stretch  of  curiosity,  Conner 
said  that  the  Germans  and  Indians  lived  on  terms  of  great 
amity,  the  former  treating  them  with  great  hospitality  when- 
ever they  visited  the  settlement,  and  a  very  straight  road  to 


192  NOTES  TAKEN. 

a  wild  Indian's  heart  is  through  his  stomach,  as  they  are 
always  ready  to  eat  and  drink. 

August  16th  and  17th  were  spent  in  explorations  to  find 
a  suitable  tract  to  be  surveyed  for  the  location  of  the  Oa- 
manches,  and  finally  one  was  selected  about  three  miles 
farther  up  the  stream  from  our  camp,  comprising  every 
essential  of  upland  and  meadow,  with  fine  water  and  timber, 
the  amount  of  land  necessary  being  six  square  leagues. 

August  18th. — Se-na-co  and  his  party  arrived  to-day.  He 
was  very  prepossessing  in  his  appearance,  about  five  feet 
eight  inches  in  height,  not  stout,  but  his  frame  firmly  knit, 
very  dark  complexion,  with  a  countenance  mild  but  decided. 
He  dressed  without  any  ornament,  and  in  this  respect  was  a 
great  contrast  to  his  followers. 

With  him  came  Qua-ha-we-ti  and  Oti,  the  chiefs  who  had 
previously  visited  us,  and  Naroni,  or  little  piece  of  meat  thrown 
over  a  pole,  and  Straight-fellow,  two  war  captains,  besides  a 
large  party  of  warriors,  women  and  children. 

A  very  interesting  woman  accompanied  this  party.  She 
was  the  widow  of  San-ta-na,  a  celebrated  chief  who  died 
about  three  years  since,  and  still  mourned  her  loss,  going 
out  every  evening  in  the  neighborhood  of  camp,  to  howl  and 
cry  and  cut  herself  with  knives,  according  to  the  custom 
among  them  of  persons  in  affliction.  She  had  separated  her- 
self in  a  measure  from  the  tribe,  and  formed  a  band  of 
women,  seven  in  number,  like  herself  widows.  She  owned 
a  large  herd  of  mules  and  horses,  and  was  a  most  successful 


THE    INVALID.  193 

hunter,  having  alone  shot  with  her  rifle  fifteen  deer  in  a 
morning's  hunt.  She  was  a  fine  looking  woman,  an  Amazon 
in  size  and  haughty  bearing,  rode  astride,  and  dressed  in 
deep  black. 

There  was  an  invalid  in  the  party,  a  chief,  crippled  with 
rheumatism  and  disease  of  the  spine,  drawn  into  a  sitting 
posture  by  his  ailments,  emaciated  to  a  skeleton,  and  a  most 
pitiable  sight,  particularly  distressing  to  us  from  our  know- 
ledge of  the  hardships  and  privations  suffered  by  them  in 
their  wandering  life. 

The  poor  creature  was  perched  upon  a  rude  contrivance 
of  sticks  lashed  on  a  horse,  and  bolstered  with  bags  of  grass, 
with  a  blanket  and  circingle  passed  over  and  around  the 
whole  to  keep  him  steady,  and  having  the  feeble  use  of  his 
hands,  he  guided  the  horse  without  assistance.  A  rude 
litter  accompanied  him,  upon  which  he  could  ride  during 
heat  and  exhaustion.  This  was  constructed  by  lashing  long 
poles  to  either  side  of  a  mule,  leaving  the  ends  trailing,  upon 
the  ground.  Cross  sticks  were  lashed  upon  the  trailing  ends, 
and  skins  slung  to  these  made  the  bed,  and  by  the  addition 
of  two  poles  bent  in  semicircles  and  fastened  diagonally  over 
the  bed,  a  shelter  from  the  sun  was  made  by  covering  them 
with  green  branches. 

He  had  a  slave  to  lead  or  drive  the  mule  and  lift  him  back 
and  forth.  This  was  a  boy  about  sixteen,  a  Mexican,  taken 
prisoner  in  some  foray,  dressed  and  painted  like  an  Indian, 

and  apparently  quite  reconciled  to  his  degraded   life,  the 
17* 


194  NOTES   TAKEN. 

,    . •  ,  " 
whole  forming  a  wretched  picture  of  misery  and  poverty, 

mixed  with  considerable  ingenuity  and  contrivance. 

Naroni  rode  in  in  grand  costume.  He  wore  an  old  blue 
military  coat,  with  tarnished  epaulettes,  and  covered  with  bul- 
let buttons,  a  wampum  necklace,  almost  equal  to  a  breast- 
plate, numerous  ear-rings,  finger-rings,  and  a  large  ring  in  his 
nose,  completely  encircling  his  mouth,  and  bright  red  leggins. 

But  his  crowning  glory  was  his  head-dress.  From  the  crown 
of  his  head  started  out  four  long  eagle's  feathers,  two  on  each 
side.  To  the  centre  was  attached  his  buffalo  hair  plait,  stud- 
ded, at  intervals  of  an  inch  or  two,  with  enormous  silver 
medallions,  of  an  oval  shape,  and  at  least  four  inches  in  largest 
diameter.  This  plait  swept  the  ground,  and  he  seemed  to  set 
great  store  by  it,  as  nothing  would  induce  him  to  part  with 
one  of  the  ornaments.  A  rifle  and  bow,  quiver  and  arrows, 
completed  his  costume  and  equipments  ;  but  being  slender  in 
figure  and  short  in  stature,  his  appearance  was  not  at  all 
imposmg. 

Straightfellow  was  very  miserably  clad,  dirty  and  ragged, 
with  a  very  forbidding  countenance,  indicative  of  cunning  and 
cruelty. 

The  women  were  ugly,  crooked-legged,  stoop-shouldered, 
squalid  and  dirty,  with  haggard  and  prematurely  old  counte- 
nances, their  hair  cropped  close  to  their  heads,  and  with  scarce 
a  rag  to  cover  their  nakedness. 

They  led,  or  drove  off,  the  pack-horses  and  mules  into  the 
valley,  and  soon  all  was  life  and  bustle — some  cutting  down 


WAR   IMPLEMENTS.  195 

green  limbs  to  construct  their  temporary  shelter,  some  build- 
ing fires,  cooking,  &c.,  and  others  unsaddling,  unpacking, 
watering  and  tethering  their  animals. 

Some  of  the  visiters  made  their  shealings  on  the  prairie 
above  us,  so  that,  in  a  little  while,  we  were  surrounded  by  these 
wild  creatures.  Among  these  was  a  warrior  armed  with  a 
lance  and  shield.  The  lance  was  a  long,  straight  piece  of  steel, 
about  two  feet  and  a  half  long  and  an  inch  wide,  tapering  to  a 
point.  This  was  fixed  into  a  slender  handle  of  bois  d'arc, 
about  four  feet  and  a  half  long,  making  the  weapon  seven  feet 
in  length ;  the  handle  ornamented  with  tufts  of  coloured  cot- 
ton yarn  and  strips  of  cloth  worked  with  beads. 

The  shield  was  round,  and  about  two  feet  in  diameter, 
made  of  wicker-work,  covered  first  with  deer  skins  and  then 
a  tough  piece  of  raw  buffalo-hide  drawn  over,  making  it  proof 
against  arrow-heads.  It  was  ornamented  with  a  human  sccilp, 
a  grizzly  bear's  claw  and  a  mule's  tail,  significant  of  the 
brave  warrior  and  successful  hunter  and  horse-thief,  and  the 
fastenings  for  the  arm  were  pieces  of  cotton  cloth  twisted 
into  a  rope. 

During  their  stay,  we  endeavoured  to  get  this  man  to  show 
us  his  exercise  with  these  weapons,  but  he  peremptorily 
refused,  and  this  I  understood  is  universal  with  them,  a  proof 
of  their  cunning. 

These  Indians  had  plenty  of  horses  and  mules,  but  generally 
a  very  inferior  stock,  the  rest  of  their  camp  material  was 
meagre  and  scanty  in  the  extreme. 


196  NOTES  TAKEN. 

August  19th. — The  first  thing  wild  Indians  ask  for  on 
coming  into  camp,  is  something  to  eat,  they  are  always  ready 
and  consume  large  quantities. 

The  Captain  had  an  ox  killed  for  them  this  morning,  and 
the  women  were  soon  busy  in  preparing  it  for  present  and 
future  use.  Every  edible  part  was  consumed,  even  the 
entrails,  which  are  considered  a  choice  delicacy,  were  drawn 
through  the  coals  and  devoured,  reeking  with  excrement. 

The  women  boned  the  flesh  and  then  split  it,  haggling  and 
carving  it  into  long  chains  of  lumps  and  then  throwing  it  over 
poles,  dried  it  in  the  sun,  when  it  looked  like  links  of  stale 
sausage.  The  caul,  suet,  and  other  inside  fat,  were  dried 
whole,  and  the  cannon  bones  and  hoofs  first  scorched  before 
the  fire  and  then  hung  up  in  the  sun. 

The  portions  of  meat  iatended  for  present  use,  were  pre- 
pared by  placing  them  upon  a  rude  scaffold  over  a  slow  fire, 
in  the  same  way  as  previously  described  among  the  Kicka- 
poos,  and  which  I  have  seen  done  by  the  frontier  squatters. 
It  dries  the  meat,  without  depriving  it  of  its  juices,  and  pre- 
vents decomposition.  A  supply  of  corn  from  the  rancho  above 
us,  together  with  some  coffee  and  sugar,  capped  the  climax 
of  their  happiness,  and  their  bivouac  wore  a  very  cheerful 
appearance  during  the  day. 

The  men  of  the  party  spent  the  day  in  painting  themselves 
and  lounging  in  their  shealings,  or  wandering  listlessly  from 
tent  to  tent,  expressing  either  surprise  or  pleasure  by  a  grant 
or  a  grin. 


THE    TOILETTE.  197 

The  intense  heat — thermometer  one  hundred  and  six 
degrees — caused  them  to  denude  themselves  entirely,  except 
the  breech-cloth,  so  that  with  the  yellow,  black  and  red 
paint,  they  presented  a  motley  appearance. 

They  parted  their  hair  from  the  centre  of  the  forehead 
back  to  the  crown,  and  made  a  streak  of  yellow,  white  or 
red,  along  the  divide,  a  custom  in  which  they  were  greatly 
assisted  by  large  beds  of  yellow  and  white  clay,  which  they 
discovered  in  the  valley  some  distance  down  the  stream. 
I  could  not  discover  whether  each  had  a  distinct  style  of 
daubing  himself,  but  suppose  this  to  be  the  case,  as  all  were 
different. 

A  fat,  chubby  faced  warrior,  painted  a  fac  simile  of  a  saw 
around  his  jaws  in  black,  his  cheeks  red,  his  eye-lids  white, 
and  his  forehead  and  divide  of  his  hair  yellow,  smearing  his 
body  also  with  yellow. 

The  invalid  painted  his  face  red,  his  eyelids  white  and 
streaked  his  face  with  black,  like  a  ribbed  nose  babboon. 
Another  painted  one  side  black  and  the  other  yellow,  con- 
tinuing the  process  down  to  his  waist.  Another  daubed 
yellow  on  one  side  and  red  on  the  other,  his  eyelids  white  and 
streaks  of  black  upon  his  cheeks,  in  imitation  of  snakes.  The 
boys  also  painted  themselves ;  and  several  of  the  women  had 
cheeks  and  hair  stained  with  red.  In  short,  all  that  savage 
fancy  could  do  to  increase  savage  ugliness  was  done,  and  a 
more  diabolical,  and  at  the  same  time  ludicrous  set,  it  would 
be  hard  to  meet  with. 


198  NOTES   TAKEN. 

About  nine  at  night  several  of  them  collected  upon  the 
prairie  to  sing  and  dance.  Seated  on  the  ground  in  a  circle, 
the  leader  commenced  drumming  upon  a  tin  mess  pan,  accom- 
panied with  a  low,  guttural,  monotonous  chaunt,  at  intervals 
raising  his  voice  louder,  when  a  general  grunt  or  a  yell  was 
added  by  the  rest,  and  the  whole  strain  ended  with  a  pro- 
longed ugh. 

They  sung  for  more  than  an  hour,  occasionally  two  or  three 
throwing  their  arms  up  and  hopping  around  like  what  chil- 
dren call  playing  at  frogs,  ending  by  seating  themselves  again 
with  a  grunt.  i/ij  ; 

I  soon  tired  of  the  scene,  which  by  the  light  of  a  low  fire 
looked  more  like  a  parcel  of  monkeys  at  dull  play  than  any 
thing  else.  Their  audience  of  teamsters  and  soldiers,  how- 
ever, seemed  greatly 'pleased,  and  as  a  novelty  it  was  some- 
what interesting. 

August  20. — The  usual  morning  toilette  was  gone  through 
with  by  the  men,  but  the  intense  heat — one  hundred  and  five 
degrees  in  the  shade  —  kept  all  quiet  in  and  about  camp, 
except  the  women,  some  of  whom  were  unusually  busy,  con- 
spicuous among  whom  were  the  two  wives  of  the  chief  Ke- 
tum-a-see. 

Our  Delawares  took  the  opportunity  to  have  their  deer 
skins — of  which  they  had  accumulated  quite  a  large  bale — 
dressed  by  these  women,  and  the  process  was  very  simple  but 
rapid.  Having  soaked  the  skins  thoroughly,  they  threw  them 
over  a  smooth  log  leaned  against  a  tree  at  an  angle,  and  then 


THE   COUNCIL.  199 

taking  a  rib  of  a  deer  in  both  hands,  removed  the  hair  by 
scraping  it  against  the  grain ;  they  then  stretched  and  dried 
them,  when  they  became  beautifully  soft  and  white.  To 
color  them,  they  tied  several  into  a  chimney  shape,  hung  to 
a  limb,  and  building  smoulder  fires  under  them  they  soon 
changed  to  yellowish  brown  on  the  hair  side,  and  light 
yellow  on  the  flesh  side. 

Great  apprehensions  were  entertained  that  Ke-tum-e-see 
had  been  waylaid  and  murdered,  as  he  was  absent  so  long,  but 
about  noon  he  rode  in,  and  gave  as  a  reason  for  his  delay  that 
he  had  spent  the  time  in  endeavoring  to  persuade  his  followers 
to  come  in,  but  without  success.  His  two  wives  ran  to  meet 
him,  and  seemed  quite  overjoyed  at  his  arrival,  most  probably 
because  he  had  left  them  entirely  among  strangers,  as  I 
cannot  imagine  any  affection  in  the  case. 

At  dusk  the  chiefs  were  assembled  in  council,  and  seated 
on  the  ground  around  the  light  of  candles  and  lanterns,  pipes 
were  smoked,  and  Captain  Marcy  addressed  them,  through 
Conner,  the  interpreter. 

Captain  Marcy  told  them  "  that  he  had  seen  their  Great 
Father  in  Washington,  and  he  had  sent  him  out  to  locate  and 
survey  lands  for  them,  that  they  might  have  homes  and  learn 
to  cultivate  the  soil  and  no  longer  lead  the  uncertain  life  they 
did ;  that  buffalo  had  disappeared  from  these  plains  and  deer 
and  other  game  were  fast  disappearing ;  that  in  a  few  years 
they  and  their  children  would  have  to  resort  to  some  other 
means  than  the  chase  for  a  subsistence ;  that  they  would  not 


200  NOTES   TAKEN. 

be  permitted  to  depredate  upon  the  white  settlements,  and 
there  was  no  alternative — they  must  learn  to  cultivate  the 
soil. 

He  told  them  "  that  their  Great  Father  would  send  them 
agricultural  implements  and  seeds,  also  men  to  teach  them 
to  farm,  and  that  he  would  provide  for  them  until  a 
crop  was  raised.  That  he  —  Captain  Marcy  —  had  been 
among  tribes  in  the  North,  who  once  lived  as  they  were 
living,  but  who,  on  advice,  had  learned  to  cultivate  the  soil, 
and  were  now  living  like  the  whites,  with  plenty  to  eat  and 
wear.  That  if  they  would  do  as  their  Great  Father  wished 
them,  they  would  have  reason  to  thank  him  in  a  few  years. 
That  an  agent  would  be  sent  to  reside  among  them,  and  with 
the  assistance  of  the  United  States'  troops  would  see  that 
they  were  not  molested  by  white  men,  or  other  wild  Indians 
if  they  remained  friendly. 

Se-na-co  rose  and  replied,  speaking  in  a  slow,  distinct  and 
impressive  tone,  using  but  little  gesticulation,  but  repeatedly 
placing  his  hand  upon  his  heart.  He  said,  "The  chiefs  and 
head  men  of  the  Southern  Camanches  have  authorized  me  to 
reply  to  the  talk  which  our  Great  Father  has  sent  us  by  our 
friend,  Captain  Marcy. 

"  What  I  ani  about  to  say  will  be  straight-forward  and  the 
truth,  and  the  sentiment  of  all  my  people. 

"  We  remember  what  our  former  chief,  Mo-ko-cho-pe  told 
us  before  he  died,  and  we  endeavor  to  carry  out  his  wishes 


SA-NA-CO.  201 

after  he  is  gone.  He  visited  our  Great  Father  at  Washing- 
ton, and  brought  us  a  talk  from  him. 

"  He  told  us  to  take  the  advice  and  example  of  the  whites, 
and  it  would  make  us  happy  and  benefit  us. 

"  We  are  glad  to  hear  the  talk  which  has  been  sent  us  at 
this  time ;  it  makes  our  hearts  warm,  and  we  feel  happy  in 
knowing  that  our  Great  Father  remembers  his  poor  red  chil- 
dren on  the  prairies. 

"  We  accept  this  talk,  and  will  endeavour  to  accede  to  all 
our  Great  Father  requires  of  us. 

"  I  am  pleased  to  see  our  friend,  Captain  Marcy,  once  more. 
I  well  remember  seeing  him  five  years  since,  near  this  very 
place,  when  I  stayed  over  night  with  him,  and  have  often 
inquired  of  the  whites  I  have  met,  what  had  become  of  him, 
and  I  was  much  pleased  when  I  was  told  he  was  to  meet  us 
here." 

He  stopped,  seated  himself,  and  many  questions  were  put  to 
him,  which  he  answered  freely  and  favourably. 

All  this  time  Ke-tum-e-see  sat  like  a  statue,  glum  and  silent, 
evidently  displeased  at  not  having  been  spokesman. 

Although  he  and  Se-na-co  expressed  themselves  anxious  to 
meet  the  views  of  the  government,  they  were  evidently  afraid 
of  their  followers,  and  we  anticipated  that  much  perplexity 
might  arise  from  this  cause. 

The  presents — consisting  of  printed  cottons,  handkerchiefs, 
blankets,  knives,  stroudding  for  leggins,  armlets  of  silver,  long 

18 


202  NOTES   TAKEN. 

wampum  beads,  paint,  &c., — were  now  handed  in  bulk  to  the 
chiefs,  and,  after  another  smoke,  the  council  closed. 

August  21st. — This  morning  the  chiefs  distributed  the 
presents,  and  great  delight  was  manifested,  particularly 
among  the  squaws,  who  kept  up  a  continuous  chattering. 

It  requires  a  good  deal  of  knowledge  of  Indian  fancies  to 
select  presents  with  judgment.  Different  tribes  have  differ- 
ent tastes.  The  northern  Indians  like  gay  clothing  and 
blankets,  ear-rings,  brooches  and  beads  of  bright  colours. 
The  Camanches  prefer  dark  clothes  and  heavy  silver  armlets, 
and  long  wampum  beads,  both  the  latter  being  very  expen- 
sive, particularly  the  wampum  beads,  which  are  to  be  pro- 
cured but  in  one  place,  a  small  town  in  New  Jersey.* 

Our  stock  of  presents  was  very  well  selected,  so  that  all 
were  pleased  and  spent  the  rest  of  the  day  in  painting  and 
bedizening  themselves,  making  many  a  funny  show. 

I  surprised  a  party  of  women  whilst  they  were  bathing 
in  the  stream  at  mid-day,  or  rather  they  surprised  me,  as 
they  bathed  along  side  of  the  road  and  in  sight  of  camp.  I 
observed,  however,  that  they  showed  great  dexterity  in 
avoiding  unnecessary  exposure.  Wrapping  blankets  around 
themselves,  they  entered  the  stream  where  a  tree  or  bush 

*  Wampum  is  made  of  the  thick  and  blue  part  of  aea  clam-shells.  The  thin 
covering  of  this  part  being  split  off,  a  hole  is  drilled  in  it,  and  the  form  is 
produced  and  the  pieces  made  smooth  by  a  grindstone.  The  form  is  that  of  the 
cylindrical  glass  beads  called  bugles.  When  finished  they  are  strung  upon 
small  hempen  cords  about  a  foot  long.  In  the  manufacture  of  wampum  from 
§ix  to  ten  strings  are  considered  a  day's  work. 


ARTEMISIA.  '203 

stood  or  hung  convenient  for  them  to  place  their  blankets  on 
so  soon  as  they  were  immersed,  and  thus  avoided  exposure 
almost  entirely. 

The  Camanches  are  very  fond  of  bathing,  both  men  and 
women,  but  cleanliness  is  only  partially  promoted  by  it,  as 
they  are  either  unable  or  neglect  to  change  their  clothing, 
but  wear  it  in  a  filthy  state. 

The  women  observed  the  same  modest  caution  in  mount- 
ing their  horses.  They  rode  astride,  and  like  all  Indians 
mounted  upon  the  right  side  of  the  horse.  Drawing  the 
left  foot  up,  after  placing  the  right  in  the  stirrup,  they 
extended  it  over  the  saddle  at  right  angles  to  the  right, 
instead  of  describing  the  arc  of  a  circle,  performing  the  feat 
and  seating  themselves  with  much  ease  and  grace.  This 
fact  was  common  to  all  the  females  we  met. 

Towards  sunset  I  observed  one  of  the  Chief's  wives  lead- 
ing a  horse  and  mule  slowly  backwards  and  forwards  through 
a  slow  fire,  which  scattered  over  quite  a  large  bare  spot  of 
ground,  made  a  dense  white  smoke  without  flame,  and  at  the 
same  time  I  was  sensible  of  an  aromatic  perfume  proceeding 
from  the  valley.  Upon  inquiry,  I  found  it  was  the  process 
of  hardening  the  hoofs  by  exposing  them  to  the  smoke  and 
vapour  of  the  wild  rosemary — artemisia — large  quantities  of 
which  grew  in  the  valley  of  the  Clear  Fork. 

August  22d. — A  little  Mexican  made  his  appearance 
among  the  Indians  this  morning,  dressed  in  a  gay  dressing- 
gown  and  pantaloons,  and  was  immediately  recognized  by 


204  NOTES   TAKEN. 

the  Captain  as  a  worthy  he  had  seen  during  his  Red  River 
trip  among  the  Witchitas.  At  that  time,  the  Captain  asked 
him  why  he  did  not  leave  the  Indians  and  go  home  among 
his  own  people.  He  replied,  "Me  bin  so  long  mong 
Witchita,  me  lie,  me  steal  horse  good  as  any,  me  big  rascal, 
same  as  Witchita." 

If  an  honest  confession  is  good  for  the  soul,  this  certainly 
was  a  case  in  point,  if  there  is  any  truth  in  physiognomy, 
for  a  more  cunning  rascally  countenance  no  one  ever  saw. 

He  rode  off  in  company  with  some  of  the  party  when  they 
left,  having  succeeded  in  getting  a  handkerchief  and  some 
other  articles,  either  by  begging  or  stealing. 

Se-na-co  and  some  of  the  chiefs,  with  their  followers,  left  us 
during  the  day,  shaking  hands  all  round  and  apparently  very 
friendly.  They  had  dined  and  supped  with  us  several  times, 
behaving  with  great  decorum,  sitting  at  table  and  using 
knives  and  forks,  but  wild  Indian-like,  never  stopping  until 
every  thing  edible  was  consumed.  This  peculiarity  applies, 
in  a  great  measure,  to  all  Indians ;  so  much  so,  that  rations 
had  to  be  issued  to  our  Delawares  for  three  days  only  at  a 
time,  for  just  as  like  as  not,  they  would  consume  the  whole 
in  one  day.  They  have  no  idea  of  economy  or  of  to-morrow, 
but  let  that  take  care  of  itself. 

All  are  proverbially  hospitable,  both  to  strangers  and 
acquaintances,  never  turning  a  hungry  man  away  empty  as 
long  as  a  scrap  to  eat  remains  in  camp,  but  they  are  wasteful 
and  improvident. 


TRADING.  205 

August  23d. — But  few  articles  could  be  obtained  iu  barter 
from  these  Indians,  as  they  were  so  scantily  supplied  even 
with  essentials,  but  what  they  had  and  would  part  with,  was 
readily  taken  up  by  different  persons  in  the  command,  con- 
spicuous among  whom  was  a  full  blooded  Choctaw,  a  team- 
ster, whom  we  had  hired  when  we  passed  through  the  nation, 
a  shrewd  fellow,  who  had  provided  himself  with  quite  a  stock 
of  goods,  and  obtained  a  good  supply  of  white  buckskins, 
bows  and  arrows,  &c.,  in  exchange  for  vermilion,  looking- 
glasses  and  calico. 

In  connection  with  this  subject,  I  may  remark,  that  the 
present  system  of  trading  with  the  prairie  tribes  has  a  great 
effect  in  checking  all  efforts  of  the  government  to  prevent 
depredations  upon  the  frontier  settlements,  and  in  this  way, 
viz.,  a  number  of  Delawares,  Shawnees  and  Kickapoos,  have 
for  several  years  visited  these  tribes,  with  such  articles  as  are 
most  necessary  to  them,  and  which  they  will  have  at  any  cost, 
and  have  made  large  profits  by  the  traffic.  The  articles  they 
take  are  of  small  value,  such  as  tobacco,  paint,  knives,  beads, 
calico  and  wampum ;  and  as  the  Indians  have  nothing  of  suf- 
ficient value  to  exchange  for  them,  except  horses  and  mules, 
they  necessarily  give  them,  and  in  large  numbers.  All  these 
animals  are  obtained  by  marauding  upon  the  frontier,  and 
in  proportion  to  the  amount  traded  for,  so  is  the  correspond- 
ing amount  of  depredation. 

A  good  plan  to  prevent  this,  would  be  an  annual  donation* 
18* 


206  NOTES  TAKEN. 

by  the  government  of  such  articles  as  are  supplied  by  the 
traders,  with  the  understanding  that  this  should  continue  so 
long  as  no  forays  were  made,  and  thereby  depreciating  the 
value  of  these  articles,  would  render  the  trading  business  no 
longer  profitable. 

The  tribes  are  accustomed  to  exchange  presents  in  their 
friendly  intercourse  with  each  other,  and  have  no  idea  of 
friendship  under  any  other  form;  they  also  value  the  strength 
of  attachment  by  the  amount  of  presents  received,  as  an  inci- 
dent related  by  Captain  Marcy  will  illustrate. 

He  once  held  a  talk  with  a  chief  of  one  of  the  tribes,  and 
told  him  that  the  President  of  the  United  States  was  their 
friend,  and  wished  to  live  on  terms  of  peace  with  them.  The 
chief  replied,  that  he  was  much  astonished  to  hear  this,  for 
judging  by  the  few  trifling  presents  the  Captain  had  given 
his  people,  he  was  of  opinion  that  the  "  Big  Captain "  held 
them  in  but  little  estimation. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  that  a  small  amount  of  money,  annu- 
ally expended  in  this  way,  would  go  far  towards  doing  away 
entirely  with  the  many  and  frequently  bloody  depredations  of 
these  people  upon  our  poorly  protected  frontier. 

August  24th. — The  Indians  continued  to  leave  in  parties  of 
two  or  three,  during  the  day,  until  all  were  gone  except  Ke- 
tum-e-see  and  the  invalid,  who  seemed  to  be  great  friends. 

Neither  had  any  thing  to  say,  but  lounged  around  under 
the  trees,  evidently  with  some  object  in  view,  which  greatly 
excited  our  curiosity,  but  the  weather  was  so  intensely  hot, 


SQUIRRELS.  207 

that  we  could  take  but  little  interest  in  any  thing  except  the 
means  of  keeping  cool. 

Our  larder  had  been  most  bountifully  supplied  for  a  few 
days  past  by  a  dragoon  from  Fort  Belknap,  who  with  a  party, 
an  escort  to  an  invalid  officer,  had  been  spending  a  week  with 
us,  and  discovered  a  colony  of  squirrels  in  a  bottom  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  Clear  Fork.  They  were  a  large  species, 
tawny  on  the  belly  and  legs,  and  grey  on  the  back,  and  so 
numerous  that  he  shot  fifty-five  in  four  days,  (going  out  for  an 
hour  at  a  time  before  the  heat  of  the  day,)  which  made  into 
a  stew  were  deliciously  delicate  and  juicy. 

August  25th. — Ke-tum-e-see  disclosed  his  intention  in 
remaining  this  morning.  He  walked  up  to  the  Quarter 
Master's  tent,  and  demanded  more  beef  and  corn,  but  was 
peremptorily  refused,  told  that  he  must  not  expect  any  more, 
and  must  now  look  out  for  himself.  He  walked  off  very 
angry,  and  soon  we  saw  his  wives  bustling  round,  preparing 
him  to  leave. 

Some  of  us  went  down  to  his  bivouac,  and  found  him 
seated,  looking  as  black  as  a  thunder  cloud,  and  taking  no 
notice  of  anything. 

The  invalid  was  at  the  same  time  made  ready,  and  when 
his  slave  had  saddled  and  led  up  his  horse,  the  women  lifted 
him  on  and  fastened  him  with  great  difficulty,  every  move- 
ment of  the  poor  wretch  being  made  with  a  groan. 

Ke-tum-e-see's  horse  was  then  saddled  and  led  up  by  his 
wives,  when  he  mounted,  and  led  the  way  across  the  prairie, 


208  NOTES   TAKEN. 

not  deigning  to  turn  his  head  or  grunt  out  a. good  bye,  and 
this  was  the  last  of  the  Camanches. 

The  knowing  ones  predicted  trouble  from  this  man,  whom 
they  said  was  revengeful  and  treacherous.  We  kept  a  good 
look  out  for  him,  however,  and  were  constantly  on  the  alert, 
as  we  had  been  during  our  stay  in  that  wild  spot. 

August  26th. — The  weather  was  still  intensely  hot — 
averaging  one  hundred  and  six  degrees  in  the  shade — and  as 
the  twenty-seventh  was  Sunday,  the  Captain  determined  to 
commence  his  survey  on  Monday,  the  twenty-eighth;  the 
party  was  consequently  busy  all  day  in  preparations,  and 
those  of  us  who  had  the  opportunity,  kept  as  quiet  as  pos- 
sible, as  the  most  discreet  plan  under  such  a  sun. 

I  thought  we  had  done  with  the  Camanches,  but  was 
mistaken.  Towards  evening  one  made  his  appearance  in  the 
distance,  and  proved  to  be  Naroni ;  but  oh,  how  changed  from 
the  Naroni  of  the  council-fire.  Dressed  in  an  old  torn  vest, 
breech-cloth  and  leggins,  with  a  shabby  straw  hat  upon  his 
head,  his  buffalo  tail,  medallions  and  uniform  laid  aside,  the 
little  man  looked  smaller  still,  and  miserably  forlorn.  He 
had  shot  two  bucks,  and  came  to  barter  the  carcases  for  corn. 
Lounging  around  for  a  time,  and  finding  no  trade,  he  rode  off, 
and  we  saw  no  more  of  him. 

August  27th. — Sunday,  intensely  hot,  and  a  general  quiet 
reigning  in  our  camp. 

Shifting  their  homes  so  constantly  as  these  Nomades  of 


EXCITEMENT.  209 

the  plains  do,  they  are  very  careless  of  offal  about  camp,  and 
in  time  of  plenty  this  evil  accumulates. 

Our  visitors  left  their  temporary  abode  in  a  very  disgusting 
state— half  gnawed  bones,  and  masses  of  cooked  and  raw  flesh 
lying  around,  which  soon,  under  the  sun's  intense  rays,  made 
us  sensible  of  their  locality. 

As  a  sanitary  measure,  the  Captain  determined  to  break 
up  our  camp  on  the  morrow,  and  move  farther  up  the  stream, 
and  though  we  should  miss  the  fine  spring  at  this  point,  we 
should  be  nearer  the  land  to  be  surveyed,  which  would  be 
more  convenient. 

August  28th  to  September  4th, — Last  night  was  one  of  great 
excitement  in  our  camp.  About  midnight  a  general  stam- 
pede of  our  horses  took  place,  and  as  Ke-tum-e-see  had  left 
in  such  a  bad  humour,  we  concluded  of  course  that  the 
Indians  had  stolen  them,  but  immediate  pursuit  being 
ordered,  they  were  found  in  a  ravine  some  miles  off,  much 
frightened,  but  supposed  to  have  been  by  wolves,  large  packs 
of  which  had  been  prowling  and  howling  around  us  every 
night  during  our  stay. 

We  had  scarcely  got  quiet  again,  when  a  mounted  dragoon 
rode  into  camp,  calling  loudly  for  the  captain,  and  exclaiming 
that  his  comrade  had  been  murdered  at  the  rancho  a  mile 
above  us. 

An  officer,  with  the  Doctor  and  a  sufficient  force,  were  sent 
up,  when  it  appeared  that  the  express  rider  from  Fort  Bel- 
knap  to  Fort  Chadbourne,  with  a  single  dragoon  as  escort,  had 


210  NOTES   TAKEN. 

arrived  at  the  raiicho  about  two  o'clock,  A.  M.,  and  not  wishing 
to  disturb  the  inmates,  were  quietly  tying  up  their  mules  to 
feed  them,  as  was  their  custom  at  this  place,  when  a  young 
man,  who  was  sleeping  in  the  open  air,  being  aroused,  rushed 
to  the  house  and  shouted  Indians.  The  man  inside  sprang 
out  of  bed,  and  seizing  his  gun,  rushed  to  the  door  and  fired 
two  shots,  both  taking  effect  upon  the  poor  soldier  and 
mortally  wounding  him.  He  lingered  insensible  until  eight, 
A.  M.,  and  died.  Our  carpenter  made  a  rude  coffin,  and  we 
buried  him  upon  a  hill  side,  along  side  of  a  dragoon  who  had 
been  killed  sometime  before,  by  the  Witchitas. 

This  incident  shows  how  exciting  is  frontier  life,  and  how 
constantly  upon  the  alert  the  settlers  must  be  against  attack 
or  surprise. 

"We  moved  camp  six  miles  up  the  stream,  on  the  same 
prairie  and  to  a  similiar  spot  to  the  one  we  left,  though  the 
water  was  not  so  good. 

Major  Neighbours  returned  to  his  home  near  San  Antonio, 
and  took  with  him  Conner,  the  two  Jacobs  and  Jack  Hunter 
— the  Shawnee.  We  parted  with  the  Major  with  regret,  his 
fund  of  anecdote  of  Indian  life  and  customs,  and  his  great  ex- 
perience on  the  frontier,  imparted  with  so  much  affability  and 
enthusiasm  had  wiled  away  many  an  hour  in  camp  and  on  the 
march,  and  we  missed  him  very  much. 

We  remained  at  this  point  until  the  fourth  of  September, 
the  surveying  parties  actively  employed  in  running  the  lines 


STRIPED   BASS.  211 

and  marking  them,  which  was  done  by  raising  mounds  at 
intervals  of  half  a  mile  along  the  line. 

Our  mess  was  well  supplied  with  wild  turkeys,  catfish  and 
turtles,  and  a  stream  in  the  vicinity,  a  tributary  of  the  Clear 
Fork,  afforded  fine  sport  to  anglers,  with  a  fish  called  here  a 
trout,  but  which  proved  to  be  a  species  of  bass,  very  game 
and  rising  readily  to  the  fly. 

The  soil  was  very  fertile  and  the  country  around  rich  in 
minerals,  and  affording  a  fine  field  for  geologizing. 

The  rock  was  limestone,  appearing  on  the  south-west  edge 
of  the  prairie  piled  up  in  layers  of  rectangular  blocks,  looking 
in  the  distance  like  a  regularly  built  fortification. 


212  NOTES   TAKEN. 


• 


CHAPTEE  XV. 

CAMP  ON  THE  CLEAR  FORK  TO  CAMP  ON  THE  LOWER  BRAZOS. 

Survey  concluded.— Leave  for  Fort  Belknap.— Description  of  country  passed 
over.— Manner  of  designating  Indian  Camps  by  the  Delawares.— Arrive  at 
Fort  Belknap.— Indian  Council  held.— Bear  Head  the  interpreter.— Descrip- 
tion of  Fort  Belknap— Lieut.  Givens,  a  true  sportsman.— Puma  chase.— 
March  to  Caddo  Village— Description  of  the  Village.— Jim  Shaw  and  his 
family.— Grasses  met  with  on  our  trip,— Finish  the  Survey.— Leave  for  home. 

SEPTEMBER  4th  to  10th.— The  surveying  parties  having  con- 
cluded their  labours,  we  struck  tents  this  morning  and  marched 
to  Fort  Belknap,  where  we  camped  for  a  short  time  to  procure 
stores  and  prepare  for  future  work  in  locating  and  surveying 
lands  for  the  Caddos,  Jonies,  Ah-nan-da-kas,  To-wac-ko-nies, 
Wichitas,  and  Ton-kah-was,  who  exist  in  this  neighbourhood. 

The  country  passed  over  abounded  in  game,  and  we  passed 
many  deserted  hunting-camps.  Our  Delawares  displaying  the 
same  sagacity,  before  observed  upon,  in  designating  the  name 
of  the  tribe,  the  number,  and  even  the  lodge  of  the  chief. 

Being  curious  to  know  what  signs  indicated  these  facts,  I 
asked  one  of  them,  when  he  gave  me  the  following  informa- 
tion, which  may  be  of  great  service  to  travellers  on  the  prairie, 
enabling  them,  when  finding  a  deserted  camp,  to  know  the 
friendly  from  the  hostile  Indians  ;  and  thus,  should  they  be 
hostile,  avoid  them  by  marching  in  a  different  direction  from 


LODGES.  213 

their  trail.  The  Camanches  make  their  lodges  by  placing 
poles  in  the  ground,  in  a  circle,  and  tying  the  tops  together, 
forming  a  frame  work  in  a  conical  shape,  which  they  cover 
with  buffalo  hides. 

The  Wichitas  make  their  lodges  in  the  same  manner,  but 
do  not  unite  the  poles  at  the  top — leaving  an  opening  for 
the  smoke,  which  when  covered  forms  the  frustrum  of  a  cone. 

The  Kickapoos  place  the  poles  in  a  circle,  but  instead  of 
bringing  them  to  a  point  at  top,  bend  them  so  as  to  Jinite  in 
an  arch  with  those  opposite,  thus  making  the  lodge  round  on  top. 

The  Delawares  and  Shawnees  carry  tents,  but  leave  the 
poles  standing  wherever  they  encamp. 

The  Cherokees  have  tents  also,  but  build  their  fires  differ- 
ent from  the  Delawares ;  they  place  the  wood  in  the  fire  with 
the  sticks  parallel,  and  burn  from  one  end,  pushing  it  into  the 
fire  as  it  burns  away ;  whereas  the  others  place  each  stick 
pointing  to  the  centre  of  the  fire,  like  the  spokes  of  a  wheel. 

We  arrived  At  Fort  Belknap  on  the  seventh. 

At  a  council  held  here,  the  Jonies  and  Ah-nan-dah-kas  were 
represented  by  Jose  Maria,  the  Caddos  by  Ti-nah,  the  Wichitas 
and  Wacos  by  0-che-rash  and  Ack-a-quash,  and  the  To-wac- 
ko-nies,  by  Utsiocks,  Jose  Maria — a  fine  looking  man  about 
sixty — was  spokesman.  His  speech  was  in  substance  as 
follows ! 

"  I  know  our  Great  Father  has  power  to  do  with  us  as  he 
pleases ;  we  have  been  driven  from  our  homes  several  times  by 

the  whites,  and  all  we  want  is  a  permanent  location,  where  we 

19 


214  NOTES   TAKEN. 

shall  be  free  from  further  molestation.  We  prefer  being  near 
the  whites,  that  we  may  be  free  from  the  depredations  of  the 
wild  tribes. 

"  Heretofore  we  have  had  our  enemies,  the  whites  on  one 
side,  and  the  Camanches  on  the  other,  and  of  the  two  evils,  we 
prefer  the  former,  as  they  allow  us  to  eat  what  we  raise,  whilst 
the  Camanches  take  every  thing,  and  if  we  are  to  be  killed, 
we  would  much  rather  die  with  full  bellies  ;  we  would  there- 
fore prefer  taking  our  chances  on  the  Brazos,  where  we  can 
be  near  the  whites." 

The  captain  told  them  that  their  Great  Father  would  do 
everything  to  make  them  happy  and  comfortable,  if  they  would 
accede  to  his  wishes,  settle  upon  these  lands,  and  confine  them- 
selves to  agriculture.  They  all  expressed  themselves  ready 
and  willing  to  do  so,  and  parted  on  very  friendly  terms. 

The  interpreter  at  this  council  was  Bear  Head,  a  famous 
Delaware,  employed  by  the  Indian  agent  for  these  tribes  as 
guide  and  interpreter.  His  American  name  was  Jim  Shaw. 
He  had  been  adopted  into  the  Caddo  tribe,  and  become  a 
chief  among  them.  He  was  the  finest  specimen  of  the  Indian 
I  saw  during  the  trip,  about  fifty  years  old,  full  six  feet  six 
in  height,  as  straight  as  an  arrow,  with  a  sinewy,  muscular 
frame,  large  head,  high  cheek  bones,  wide  mouth,  and  eye 
like  an  eagle — his  countenance  indicative  of  the  true  friend 
and  dangerous  enemy. 

Fort  Belknap,  one  of  the  most  distant  posts  on  this  fron- 
tier, is  situated  about  a  mile  from  the  Brazos,  upon  an 


PORT    BELKNAP.  215 

elevated,  sandy  plain,  and  though  called  Fort,  is  destitute 
of  any  sign  of  fortification.  One  or  two  substantial  stone 
buildings  have  been  erected,  but  the  major  part  are  in  the 
style  called  jacal — huts  built  of  logs  stuck  up  on  one  end  and 
roofed  in  with  long  prairie  grass,  the  quarters  scattered  over 
a  very  extended  surface^  affording  a  fine  drill  ground  in  front. 

It  was  surprising  how  much  the  taste  and  ingenuity  of  the 
officers  stationed  here  had  done  to  improve  the  few  advan- 
tages they  had,  and  as  usual  the  most  unbounded  hospitality 
met  us  at  their  doors. 

Major  Steen  of  the  2d  Dragoons  commanded  the  post,  and 
had  a  garrison  of  two  companies  of  dragoons  commanded  by 
Messrs.  Tree  and  Givins,  and  one  company  of  infantry  com- 
manded by  Major  Paul,  all  in  fine  health  and  discipline,  a 
great  credit  to  the  officers,  considering  the  arduous  duties  so 
small  a  command  must  perform  in  such  an  exposed  position. 

Lieutenant  Givins  is  an  ardent  sportsman,  and  by  care  and 
judgment  has  succeeded  in  raising  the  finest  pack  of  hounds 
— thirty-five  in  number — on  the  continent,  combining  the 
strong  scent  of  the  fox-hound,  with  greater  speed  than  usually 
found  possessed  by  them,  and  the  courage  of  the  bull-terrier. 
This  result  he  effects  by  retaining  only  the  swiftest  and 
healthiest,  crossing  the  swift  ones  with  those  having  a  good 
nose,  taking  care  to  keep  the  blood  pure,  and  always  running 
his  pack  in  company  with  a  bull-terrier,  whose  example 
teaches  them  courage,  and  also  chasing  wolves,  which  deve- 
lopes  that  quality.  The  colors  he  retains  are  the  blue,  the 


216  NOTES   TAKEN. 

yellow  and  the  black — the  blue  being  the  'swiftest,  the  yellow 
largest  and  strongest,  and  the  black  the  most  courageous. 
He  presented  us  with  the  skin  of  a  full  grown  Texas  lion  or 
Puma,  six  feet  six  from  tip  to  tip,  shot  by  himself,  and  very 
perfectly  preserved  and  stuffed. 

The  chase  and  capture  of  this  animal  was  very  exciting. 

Lieutenant  Givins  was  chasing  a  jackass  rabbit,  (which  on 
the  high  and  open  plains  afford  fine  runs  and  excellent  sport,) 
when  his  dogs  opened  upon  this  trail,  and  by  their  animation 
showed  they  were  in  pursuit  of  no  ordinary  animal.  After  a 
hot  run  for  a  mile  they  bayed  at  the  foot  of  a  post  oak,  in 
the  crotch  of  which  the  lion  was  perched,  looking  as  large  as 
a  mule,  and  displaying  a  formidable  set  of  teeth  and  claws. 
While  in  this  position  he  was  shot  through  the  body,  and 
making  a  long  leap  escaped  into  a  thicket  from  which  he  was 
soon  routed  by  the  dogs,  and  after  a  short  run  took  to  another 
tree,  where  he  was  shot  through  the  shoulder,  bringing  him 
down,  preventing  him  from  climbing  again,  and  allowing  the 
dogs  a  chance  to  worry  him. 

The  whole  pack,  together  with  the  horsemen,  now  closed  in, 
and  just  as  he  was  in  the  act  of  crouching  to  spring,  Lieuten- 
ant Givins  shot  him  in  the  right  eye,  which  finished  him. 

In  the  fight,  one  of  the  dogs  had  his  skull  broken  in  by  a 
stroke  of  the  lion's  claws,  and  another  had  his  leg  torn  open ; 
but  it  was  a  right  royal  hunt,  and  a  glorious  triumph  to  the 
Lieutenant's  skill  and  good  training. 

The  puma    resembles  the   African  lion  in    ferocity   anj3 


SOLDIER    LIFE.  217 

strength,  having  been  known  to  carry  off  a  full-grown  hog. 
It  has  a  very  ferocious  appearance  when  in  motion,  crouches 
at  the  approach  of  an  enemy,  and  bounds  off  with  great  swift- 
ness. It  is  seldom  found  as  far  north  as  Fort  Belknap. 

At  Fort  Belknap  we  saw  the  boy  who  was  so  cruelly 
mangled  by  the  Camanches  when  in  company  with  Mrs.  Wil- 
son, an  account  of  whose  sufferings  and  escape  was  published 
in  the  news  of  the  day,  during  the  fall  of  1853. 

This  boy  had  been  scalped  and  left  for  dead,  but  reviving, 
managed  to  get  into  Fort  Belknap,  and,  at  the  time  we  saw 
him,  promised  to  recover  entirely,  a  new  cuticle  having  formed 
over  his  denuded  scull,  but  an  attack  of  dysentery  carried  him 
off  after  a  few  day's  illness. 

Though  these  officers  bear  with  the  most  Spartan  spirit 
their  isolation  and  privations,  and  merge  all  other  feelings  in 
their  zeal  and  devotion  to  their  profession,  gathering  around 
them  comforts  and  means  for  pursuits  only  to  be  acquired  by 
highly  refined  and  enlightened  gentlemen,  yet  I  would  that 
some  of  our  brawlers  in  Congress,  and  on  the  hustings,  could 
visit  these  remote  posts,  and  see  a  soldier's  life  in  its  true 
colours.  A  sense  of  shame  and  injustice  would  cause  them  to 
blush  for  past  misrepresentations,  and  not  only  shut  their 
mouths  for  the  future,  but  open  their  eyes  to  the  true  light  of 
merit  in  these  devoted  men  Their's  is  no  carpet-knight  ser- 
vice, but  a  stern  reality,  which,  calling  forth  all  the  energies 
of  their  natures,  tempers  them  with  the  Christian  virtues  of 

forbearance  and  philanthropy — forbearance  towards  their  ene- 

19* 


218  NOTES    TAKEN. 

mies  at  court;  philanthropy  for  the  dusky  children  of  the 
plains,  with  whom  they  are  brought  daily  in  contact. 

September  10th  to  30th. — Having  obtained  the  necessary 
supplies,  we  marched  this  morning  at  sunrise,  and  crossing  the 
Brazos,  encamped  at  noon  about  fifteen  miles  below  Fort 
Belknap,  where  a  selection  had  been  made  for  the  Indians  of 
a  fine  body  of  land  with  plenty  of  wood  and  water.  Near  this 
point  was  a  Caddo  village  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
lodges.  These  were  constructed  by  erecting  a  frame-work  of 
poles,  placed  in  a  circle  in  the  ground,  the  tops  united  in  an 
oval  form,  strongly  bound  with  withes,  and  thatched  with  long 
grass.  They  were  about  twenty-five  feet  in  diameter  at  the 
base  and  twenty  feet  high,  making  a  very  comfortable  shelter, 
and  looking  in  the  distance  like  hay  or  grain  stacks. 

Each  person  had  a  bunk  raised  from  the  ground  and  covered 
with  skins,  as  a  couch,  and  the  fire  was  built  in  the  centre,  the 
smoke  escaping  from  the  apex  of  the  cone. 

Our  quondam  acquaintance,  Jim  Shaw,  came  down  and 
encamped  near  us,  remaining  during  our  stay. 

Jim  led  a  Gypsy  life,  with  his  wife  and  two  children,  living 
entirely  in  tents,  but  providing  many  comforts  for  them 
unknown  or  unthought  of  by  other  Indians. 

I  visited  his  camp  several  times,  and  was  surprised  to  find 
some  domestic  appendages  which  I  did  npt  expect  to  see  with 
them,  moving  as  they  did  from  place  to  place,  viz.,  two  cats 
and  some  barn-yard  fowls. 

He  seemed  very  fond  of  his  family,  and  anxious  that  his 


GRASSES.  219 

children  might  go  to  school,  and  that  he  might  soon  be 
settled  on  the  Reserve,  and  have  his  farm  and  permanent 
home.  He  had  provided  his  wife  with  an  excellent  side 
saddle,  and  in  her  tent  I  saw  a  musquito  bar,  a  luxury 
scarcely  to  be  expected  in  an  Indian  camp. 

Near  our  camp  I  found  large  quantities  of  the  black  mes- 
quite  grass,  a  very  favourite  grass  with  all  who  have  tried  it, 
and  I  collected  a  stock  of  the  seed,  which  I  trust  may  stand 
our  climate,  as  from  the  avidity  with  which  our  animals  eat 
it,  I  am  sure  it  would  be  a  great  addition  to  our  northern 
crops,  either  for  pasture  or  fodder.  It  grows  about  as  high  as 
timothy,  and  has  a  head  on  it  like  wheat.  The  grasses  met 
with  are  the  white  gramma,  the  blue  gramma,  three  varieties 
of  the  sedge,  the  buffalo  grass,  the  bearded  mesquite  and  the 
black  mesquite. 

Of  these,  the  buffalo  grass  would  make  a  beautiful  sod  for 
lawns,  as  its  growth  is  very  short  and  velvety,  appearing 
more  like  the  thickest  kind  of  moss  than  grass.  I  observed 
that  our  horses  eat  it  in  preference  to  any  other,  even  when 
it  was  quite  dry,  and  green  succulent  grass  in  its  vicinity.  I 
could  not  procure  any  seed. 

But  few  of  the  Indians  came  in  to  our  camp,  and  those  that 
did  were  some  of  the  chiefs  named,  and  a  few  war  captains. 
Those  we  saw  were  not  as  fine  looking  nor  as  wild  as  the 
Camanches,  but  very  subdued  and  demure  in  their  appear- 
ance and  demeanor. 

The  tract  to  be  surveyed  was  located  on  both  sides  of  the 


220  NOTES   TAKEN. 

Brazos,  which  here  was  very  crooked,  the  water  very  bitter, 
and  the  bed  of  stream  quicksand.  The  amount  to  be  sur- 
veyed, twelve  square  leagues,  took  of  course  a  much  longer 
time  than  on  the  Clear  Fork,  added  to  which  was  a  difference 
in  the  kind  of  ground,  a  portion  of  this  being  quite  moun- 
tainous. The  surveying  party  worked  diligently,  however, 
and  by  the  twenty-ninth  had  completed  their  labours,  and  on 
the  thirtieth,  we  struck  tents  and  started  on  our  homeward 
trip  by  way  of  Fort  Belknap. 


JOHN    CONNER.  221 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE   INDIANS   OP   THE   COUNTEY. 

Names  of  the  tribes. — John  Conner,  the  Delaware  Guide. — Customs  among  the 
Delawares.— Traits  of  character  with  anecdotes  illustrative.— Description  of 
other  tribes.— Creek  green  corn  dance  and  feast. — Traditions  among  the 
tribes. — Incident  of  the  Quapaws. — The  Camanches. — Number  and  division. — 
Supposed  origin.— Religious  ideas.— Contempt  for  the  whites.— Treatment  of 
women. — Customs  among  them. — Their  habits. — Anecdotes  of  the  Camanches. 
— General  remarks. 

THE  Indians  who  subsist  in  the  vast  regions  of  the  far 
South-west,  are  the  Camanches,  "Wacos,  Caddos,  Jonies,  Ah- 
nan-dah-kas,  To-wac-co-nies,  Ton-kah-ways,  Paluxsies,  Mos- 

calara,   Apaches,  Lipans,    Kechies,  Witchitas,   Kickapoos, 

* 

Quapaws,  Kioways,  and  Navajoes,  all  Nomadic  and  the 
Creeks,  Seminoles,  Choctaws,  Chickasaws,  Shawnees,  and 
Delawares,  who  live  in  permanent  homes.  ^S 

The  principal  settlement  of  the  Delawares  is  on  Caw  river, 
Missouri,  but  there  is  quite  a  number  settled  at  old  Fort 
Arbuckle,  in  the  Choctaw  nation,  from  whence  our  hunters 
and  guides  were  procured. 

John  Conner,  our  quondam  interpreter  and  guide,  was  a 
very  intelligent  man,  differing  from  the  generality  of  Indians 
in  this  respect,  viz.,  he  would  not  only  give  a  direct  answer  to 
a  question,  but  also  express  a  decided  opinion  and  support  it 
by  argument. 


222  NOTES   TAKEN. 

As  a  general  thing,  Indians  are  non-committal,  their  eternal 
"  may  be  so,"  always  giving  them  a  hole  to  escape  by. 

From  Conner,  I  learned  a  great  deal  about  his  tribe.  The 
Delawares  are  by  far  the  most  intelligent  Indians  in  the 
South-west.  By  a  law  of  their  tribe,  a  wife  is  sole  owner  of 
all  the  property  she  may  be  possessed  of  at  the  time  of  her 
marriage,  and  all  she  may  afterwards  accumulate.  The 
practice  of  purchasing  a  wife  still  exists  among  them.  Poly- 
gamy is  also  allowed,  but  is  by  no  means  common. 

Conner  told  me  that  the  price  of  a  wife  was  "  one  horse, 
five  blankets,  and  goods  so  high,"  holding  his  hand  about 
a  foot  from  the  ground,  a  very  indefinite  quantity  to  be  sure, 
but  of  course  understood  to  mean  enough  to  satisfy  the 
parent.  When  the  bargain  is  concluded  the  woman  must 
accede,  there  is  no  alternative,  and  hence  much  misery  is 
entailed  upon  families,  feelings  of  dislike  having  carried 
individuals  so  far  as  to  cause  them  to  commit  murder*. 

The  bashful  youths,  get  their  mothers  to  make  the  bar- 
gain for  them,  and  Jackson,  who  had  quarreled  with  his 
wife  before  leaving  home — amused  me  very  much  by  his 
description  of  how  he  intended  to  get  another  when  he 
returned. — He  said,  "my  wife  all  the  time  mad,  me  go  out 
hunt,  come  back,  he  say,  where  you  been  devil ;  all  time 
mad,  den  me  say  may  be  so  you  quit,  den  he  go,  now  go  home, 
plenty  of  money,  may  be  so  my  mudder  he  catch  nudder 
wife,"  throwing  his  arm  out  with  the  same  motion  he  used 
when  throwing  the  lariat  to  noose  his  horse. 


THE   DELAWARES.  223 

The  Delawares  are  shrewd  and  fond  of  money,  but  only  as  a 
means  of  gratification  of  either  appetite  or  fancy,  never 
saving  up  any  thing  for  the  future.  Stealing  horses  seems  to 
be  a  vice  and  propensity  peculiar  to  all  Indians,  and  the 
Delawares  are  not  an  exception.  Like  all  Indians,  the  labour 
of  planting  corn,  taking  care  of  stock  and  all  drudgery  is 
performed  by  their  women. 

They  are  very  inquisitive  but  not  credulous.  Captain 
Marcy  once  showed  a  Delaware  a  pocket  compass.  He  was 
much  interested,  watched  the  oscillations  of  the  needle  and 
the  effect  of  passing  a  piece  of  steel  over  the  glass,  then 
walked  away  keeping  his  eyes  attentively  fixed  upon  the 
needle  and  the  invariable  manner  in  which  it  settled  down  to 
the  same  spot.  He  could  not  understand  it,  but  with  Indian 
incredulity,  remarked,  "  May  be  so  he  lie  sometime." 

The  Captain,  upon  another  occasion,  endeavoured  to 
explain  to  one  of  them  the  magnetic  telegraph,  and  told  him 
that  by  means  of  it  a  message  could  be  sent  one  thousand 
miles,  and  an  answer  returned  in  ten  minutes.  He  seemed 
much  interested,  but  made  no  remark  until  the  Captain  told 
him  to  explain  it  to  a  Camanche  who  was  standing  by.  He 
replied,  "  Captain  me,  not  tell  him  dat ;  me  not  believe  it 
meself." 

Although  reliable,  when  pledged  to  perform  any  duty,  they 
are  like  all  Indians,  tricky. 

Captain  Black  Beaver — who  has  been  mentioned  before, 
and  who  lives  at  old  Fort  Arbuckle— had  been  frequently  in 


224  NOTES   TAKEN. 

the  employ  of  the  government,  and  out  with  the  officer  who 
relates  this  anecdote,  but  declining  to  go  upon  a  late  expe- 
dition, he  procured  for  the  officer  the  services  of  John  Bush- 
man, another  Deleware. 

The  officer  told  Bushman  to  inform  his  corps  of  hunters 
and  guides  that  they  would  be  paid  one  dollar  and  a  half  a 
day  and  one  ration.  Shortly  after  this,  it  was  necessary  to 
have  an  interpreter  to  a  wild  tribe  that  was  met,  and  Bush- 
man acted. 

After  the  talk  he  said  to  the  officer,  "  You  not  tell  me  what 
you  give  me."  The  officer  insisted  that  he  had  told  him' 
one  dollar  and  a  half  per  day.  He  replied  "  Black  Beaver  he 
say  two  dollar  half  one  day."  The  officer  told  him  that  he 
made  his  own  bargains,  and  the  government  had  no  money  to 
squander,  but  that  on  condition  of  his  acting  as  interpreter 
he  would  increase  his  pay  half  a  dollar. 

On  the  return  of  the  expedition,  and  after  he  was  paid,  the 
officer  asked  him,  "John,  will  you  go  again?"  "  No,"  was  his 
reply,  "  dat  government  he  not  got  no  money."  It  turned  out 
to  be  a  plan  of  Black  Beaver  to  share  half  of  the  two  dollars 
and  a  half,  but  did  not  succeed. 

They  are  brave  to  a  fault,  never  turning  their  backs  upon 
the  foe.  The  following  anecdote,  related  of  this  same  Cap- 
tain Black  Beaver,  is  an  illustration : 

He  accompanied  a  government  expedition,  some  years  since, 
into  the  Camanche  country,  and  being  out  upon  a  scout  one 
day,  accompanied  by  a  white  man  attached  to  the  train,  they 


ANECDOTES.  225 

were  suddenly  surprised  by  seven  Camanches,  who,  circling 
round  them,  made  every  hostile  demonstration. 

The  white  man,  being  mounted  upon  a  fleet  blood  mare, 
proposed  to  run  for  camp,  when  Beaver  turned  to  him,  and 
cocking  his  rifle,  said,  very  quietly,  "  May  be  so  you  run,  may 
be  so  I  shoot  you."  He  continued  his  determined  manner 
towards  the  Camanches,  and  the  consequence  was  himself 
and  companion  returned  safely  to  the  train 

They  are  very  proud  of  their  race,  and  nothing  insults 
them  more  than  to  be  called  out  of  the  name  of  Indian. 
An  officer  was  sent  off  with  a  detachment  of  our  party,  and 
took  Jackson  as  hunter  and  guide.  To  our  surprise,  the  Indian 
returned  alone,  looking  very  sour  and  angry.  He  said,  "  Dat 
man  he  say  you  dog,  you  no  hunt  deer.  Me  no  dog,  me  In- 
dian ;  me  not  can  kill  deer,  me  not  see  him  close.  Me  kill  deer, 
me  see  him.  Me  not  stay,  me  not  dog,  me  Indian,"  raising 
himself  proudly  to  his  full  height  and  striking  his  hand 
forcibly  upon  his  breast.  At  heart  they  hate  the  white  man, 
but  are  shrewd  enough  to  know  that  it  is  for  their  interest  to 
be  friendly  and  faithful. 

Their  extraordinary  powers  of  endurance  and  perseve- 
rance have  been  frequently  tested.  An  officer  once  ordered 
one  of  them  to  follow  a  trail  and  see  where  it  led  to.  He 
returned  shortly  and  said  it  led  off  into  the  prairie  and  to 
no  particular  spot.  He  was  told  this  was  not  satisfactory  and 
must  follow  it  up  and  find  out  certainly.  He  left  immediately 

and  for  weeks  nothing  was  heard  of  him,  when  no  sooner  had 

20 


226  NOTES    TAKEN. 

the  command  arrived  at  the  first  settlement  than  he  made  his 
appearance,  and  told  the  officer  that  the  trail  he  ordered  him 
to  follow,  terminated  there,  having  with  indomitable  perseve- 
rance followed  it  several  hundred  miles  through  that  wild 
country,  subsisting  upon  what  he  could  kill,  but  determined 
to  obey  orders  to  the  letter. 

Their  sagacity  in  detecting  and  describing  signs  in  the 
prairie  I  have  before  remarked  upon,  and  it  appears  to  be  intui- 
tive and  peculiar  to  the  Indian.  In  crossing  a  trail  one  day,  one 
of  them  picked  up  a  blade  of  grass  that  had  been  crushed, 
and  said  that  the  trail  was  two  days  old,  when  to  all  appear- 
ance it  was  perfectly  fresh ;  subsequent  events  proved  he 
was  correct.  At  another  time,  the  attention  of  one  of  them 
was  called  to  some  tracks  in  the  sand,  looking  like  the 
impression  made  by  the  toe's,  foot  and  heel  of  a  bear,  he 
im  mediately  pointed  to  some  blades  of  grass  hanging  about 
ten  inches  over  the  marks,  and  explained  that  when  the  wind 
blew,  the  blades  were  pressed  over,  and  their  oscillations 
scooped  out  the  light  sand  in  the  form  seen. 

These  traits,  besides  their  wonderful  powers  of  judging  of 
country  and  knowledge  of  Indian  character  and  habits, 
render  them  invaluable  on  the  frontier,  and  it  would  be 
well  for  the  government  to  attach  a  few  to  each  company  of 
troops  engaged  in  this  service,  thus  enabling  them  to  operate 
to  much  greater  advantage  against  the  prairie  tribes. 

The  Shawnees  live  on  Little  River,  a  tributary  of  the 
Canadian.  They  assimilate  to  the  Delawares,  and  inter- 


GREEN   CORN   DANCE.  227 

marry  with  them,  the  same  traits  of  character  being  observ 
able. 

The  Seminoles  (under  Wild  Cat,  of  Florida-war  memory) 
live  on  the  Rio  Grande.  The  Choctaws  and  Chickasaws 
have  been  already  described,  and  the  Creeks  live  on  a 
Reserve  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  south  shore  of  the 
Arkansas. 

Conner  described  to  me  the  Creek  green  corn  dance  and 
feast,  which  he  said  is  a  religious  ceremony  with  them.  As 
soon  as  the  corn  is  edible,  the  different  villages  assemble,  and 
after  some  preliminary  ceremonies,  begin  to  swallow  large 
quantities  of  a  decoction  of  a  species  of  lobelia,  called  among 
them  the  '•'  Devil's  shoe-string"'  This  brings  on  violent 
vomiting  and  purging,  until  the  whole  stomach  and  bowels 
are  cleansed,  when  they  proceed  to  gorge  themselves  with 
green  corn  to  satiety,  and  the  quantity  consumed  is  according 
to  him  enormous.  They  then  sleep,  and  afterwards  com- 
mence the  green  corn  dance,  which  lasts  until  all  are  worn 
down  with  fatigue ;  a  singular  custom  and  one  scarcely  to  be 
imagined  even  among  savages. 

These  six  tribes  all  live  in  houses,  and  cultivate  the  soil  to 
a  greater  or  less  extent,  in  a  majority  of  cases  barely  suffi- 
ciently so  for  a  support. 

The  Caddos,  lonies  and  Ah-nan-dah-kas,  numbered  about 
seven  hundred  and  fifty  warriors,  women  and  children  :  speak 
the  same  language  and  intermarry.  They  have  a  tradition 
that  they  issued  from  the  hot  springs  of  Arkansas,  and  from 


NOTES    TAKEN. 

that  went  to  Red  Eiver  near  Natchitoches,  and  finally  to  the 
Brazos. 

Of  the  To-wac-o-nies  there  were  fifty-one  men,  sixty-three 
women  and  fifty-five  children. 

The  Wacos  numbered  sixty-five  men,  eighty-eight  women, 
and  seventy-two  children. 

These  five  tribes  were  living  in  great  harmony,  had  nume- 
rous herds  of  horses  and  mules,  all  stolen  from  the  whites, 
and  at  some  of  their  temporary  straw  villages  raised  corn, 
beans,  squashes  and  melons.  They  were  all  of  pure  Indian 
blood,  and  though  their  women  were  said  to  be  far  from 
chaste,  they  did  not  mingle  with  white  men. 

As  far  as  could  be  ascertained,  there  were  eighty  Witchita 
men,  one  hundred  and  twelve  women,  and  one  hundred  and 
twenty-two  children. 

They  are  most  arrant  horse  thieves  and  scoundrels,  and 
have  given  more  trouble  to  the  settlers  in  Texas  than  any 
other  tribe.  They  have  a  village  upon  Eush  Creek,  a  tribu- 
tary to  the  Washita,  a  kind  of  rendezvous  for  them,  from 
which  they  make  constant  marauding  expeditions. 

The  Kickapoos  live  on  the  Washita  near  Fort  Arbuckle  ; 
are  very  famous  hunters,  and  somewhat  less  savage,  though 
with  ardent  propensities  for  horse-stealing.  The  Paluxsies 
are  but  a  mere  remnant,  wandering  from  place  to  place  in  a 
destitute  and  squalid  condition.  They  number  about  sixty  as 
a  maximum.  The  Tonkaways  have  a  tradition  that  their  pro- 


WOLF   DANCE.  '229 

genitor  came  into  the  world  by  the  agency  of  a  wolf,  and 
commemorate  the  event  by  the  wolf  dance. 

This  dance  is  conducted  with  the  greatest  secrecy,  and 
it  is  only  by  the  most  urgent  solicitation  that  spectators  are 
admitted  to  this  curious  scene. 

Upon  entering  the  dance  lodge — a  long,  low  building  made 
of  poles  and  thatched  with  grass — about  fifty  performers 
were  observed,  all  dressed  in  wolf  skins,  so  as  perfectly  to 
represent  the  animal.  They  went  around  on  all  fours,  howled 
and  made  other  demonstrations  peculiar  to  the  wolf.  After 
going  around  awhile  they  all  stopped,  and  one  smelled  the 
earth  at  a  particular  spot,  howled  and  began  to  scratch.  A 
general  scratching  then  took  place,  and  pretty  soon  they 
unearthed  a  genuine  live  Tonkaway,  who  had  been  interred 
for  the  purpose.  As  soon  as  he  was  dragged  out  a  general 
council  was  held,  when  the  Tonkaway  addressed  them  thus, 
"  You  have  brought  me  into  the  world  and  I  know  not  what 
to  do  for  a  subsistence ;  it  would  have  been  better  to  let  me 
remain  as  I  was.  I  shall  starve  in  this  world."  After 
mature  deliberation  they  put  a  bow  and  arrows  into  his 
hands  and  told  him  he  must  do  as  the  wolves  do,  rob,  kill 
and  wander  from  place  to  place,  and  never  cultivate  the  soil, 
and  this  they  have  done  ever  since. 

The  Apaches  and  Lipans  are  very  numerous,  fierce  and 
warlike.  They  are  more  generally  supplied  with  fire-arms 
than  other  tribes,  and  are  in  a  state  of  constant  hostility  to 

the  whites. 

20* 


230  NOTES   TAKEN. 

The  Kechies  numbered  about  one  hundred  warriors,  and 
the  Quapaws  only  thirty-five. 

All  these  tribes  use  the  horse  in  war  and  in  the  chase, 
supply  themselves  with  both  horses  and  mules  by  stealing, 
and  always  have  a  good  supply. 

The  Quapaws,  a  small  remnant  of  the  once  powerful  Arkan- 
sas, are  an  illustration  of  the  rapid  degeneracy  and  neces- 
sarily final  disappearance  of  the  Indian.  Once  called  by 
way  of  distinction  "the  fine  men,"  and  complimented  as 
the  most  distinguished  warriors,  for  having  conquered  the 
powerful  Chickasaws,  at  the  time  the  most  numerous  and 
warlike  among  the  tribes,  they  are  now  reduced  to  a  hand- 
ful of  squalid  half  starved  beggars,  soon  to  be  lost  en- 
tirely or  merged  in  some  other  tribe. 

An  incident  is  related  of  one  of  their  encounters  with  the 
Chickasaws,  which  shows  the  once  great  magnanimity  of  a 
nation  now  so  near  annihilation. 

The  Chickasaw  chief  thought  most  prudent  to  make  a  pre- 
cipitate retreat  in  consequence  of  having  no  powder,  which 
when  told  to  the  Quapaw  chief,  he  determined  that  they 
should  be  put  upon  an  equality  with  his  band,  and  ordering 
all  his  warriors  to  empty  their  powder  horns  into  a  blanket, 
made  an  equal  division  and  sent  one-half  to  his  enemies ;  the 
fight  began,  and  ended  in  a  signal  defeat  of  the  Chickasaws. 

The  Camanches  and  Kioways  are  the  most  numerous 
tribes  in  the  South  West,  have  similar  habits,  but  do  not 


THE   CAMANCHES.  231 

speak  the  same  language — nor  do  the  Kioways  roam  as  far 
south  as  the  Camanches. 

The  Camanches  are  the  "  lords  of  the  plains."  They  are 
the  most  warlike  and  powerful,  and  number  over  twenty 
thousand.  They  are  separated  into  three  grand  divisions ; 
the  Northern,  Middle  and  Southern,  and  these  sub-divided 
into  bands  commanded  by  separate  chiefs.  They  suppose 
that  their  forefathers  came  from  a  country  towards  the  setting 
sun.  They  acknowledge  a  supreme  ruler  and  director,  whom 
they  call  the  Great  Spirit ;  but  in  their  devotions  appeal 
directly  to  the  sun  and  earth,  saying  that  one  is  the  great  cause 
of  life,  and  the  other  the  receptacle  and  producer  of  all  that 
sustains  life  ;  accordingly  when  they  eat  or  drink,  they  sacri- 
fice a  good  portion  to  the  Great  Spirit,  saying  that  otherwise 
he  would  be  angry,  and  bring  upon  them  ill-fortune.  They 
say  that  they  cannot  worship  God,  he  is  too  far  off,  but  they 
can  worship  the  sun,  who  is  between  them  and  the  Supreme 
Being.  They  entertain  an  inherent  dislike  for  the  whites  and 
are  very  suspicions  of  their  motives  in  visiting  them.  Some 
of  their  chiefs  have  visited  Washington,  and  returned  with 
strong  impressions  of  the  strength  of  the  whites,  but  the  most 
of  them  believe  the  Camanches  to  be  the  most  powerful 
nation  in  existence,  and  any  opposition  to  this  idea  only  sub- 
jects the  relator  to  ridicule  and  want  of  confidence.  Captain 
Marcy  relates  a  conversation  he  overheard  between  a 
Camauche  and  a  Delaware,  in  which  the  latter  endeavoured 
to  prove  to  the  Camanche  that  the  earth  was  round,  and 


232  NOTES   TAKEN. 

that  it  revolved  round  the  sun.  The  Camanche  indignantly 
asked  if  he  took  him  for  an  idiot,  that  any  man  could  see  that 
the  earth  was  perfectly  level  by  only  looking  off,  over  the 
prairie,  and  moreover  his  grandfather  had  been  to  the  west  end 
of  it,  where  the  sun  went  down  behind  a  wall.  The  Delaware 
continued  to  describe  to  him  other  things  he  had  seen  among 
the  whites,  all  of  which  the  Camanche  attributed  to  some 
necromancy  or  spell  put  upon  him  by  them,  and  only  deigned 
to  reply,  by  repeating  "  Hush,  you  fool." 

An  intelligent  Chickasaw  once  visited  them  and  endeavoured 
to  impress  upon  one  of  them  the  benefits  that  would  result  to 
them  if  they  would  cease  their  wandering  life,  and  learn  to 
read,  write  and  cultivate  the  soil ;  that  the  whites  had  taught 
his  people  and  they  had  become  a  happy  people.  The 
Camanche  replied  that  he  would  willingly  agree  to  be  taught, 
but  that  the  whites  were  such  great  rascals  he  could  not  trust 
them,  nor  consent  to  be  taught  by  them ;  that  if  the  Choctaws 
and  Chickasaws  would  send  out  men  to  teach  them,  they  would 
excuse  those  wishing  to  learn  from  war  and  hunting,  but  that 
he  must  think  there  were  very  few,  if  any,  honest  white  men  ; 
showing  that  he  entertained  bitter  hostility  towards  us. 

The  Camanche  men  are  of  middle  stature,  light  copper- 
colored  complexions,  and  intelligent  countenances,  but  the 
women  are  short,  crooked-legged,  and  far  from  good-looking. 
The  men  are  grossly  licentious,  treating  female  captives  in  a 
most  cruel  and  barbarous  manner ;  but  they  enforce  rigid 
chastity  upon  their  women,  every  dereliction  from  which  is  pun- 


MARRIAGE    CUSTOMS.  233 

ished  by  cutting  off  the  tip  of  the  nose,  as  an  indelible  mark  of 
shame.  Their  women  are  looked  upon  as  slaves  and  beasts  of 
burden,  and  every  degrading  service  that  can  be  inflicted  upon 
them  falls  to  their  lot,  yet  strange  to  say  they  seem  contented, 
and  submit  without  a  murmur.  They  are  not  prolific,  a  woman 
seldom  having  more  than  three  children,  which  if  males,  are 
nurtured  with  great  care,  whilst  the  females  are  abused  and 
often  beaten  unmercifully. 

When  a  man  wants  a  wife,  he  goes  to  the  head  of  the  family 
(who,  according  to  their  laws,  is  either  the  father,  or  if  he  is 
dead,  the  son  who  has  most  distinguished  himself  in  war  or 
hunting,  even  if  he  should  be  a  younger  son)  and  lays  down 
before  him  such  goods  as  he  thinks  will  be  acceptable,  and  then 
sits  down  at  some  distance  to  await  the  result.  After  smoking 
a  pipe,  the  goods  are  examined,  and  if  acceptable,  the  girl  is 
led  out  and  handed  over.  For  her  there  is  no  alternative, 
and  repugnance  often  occasions  "  liasons"  with  former  lovers. 

Should  an  elopement  take  place,  in  such  cases  the 
husband  and  his  friends  follow  until  they  overtake  the 
fugitives,  when  formerly  the  man  was  put  to  death,  but  now 
they  compromise  by  purchase,  the  husband  takes  horses 
until  he  is  satisfied,  the  wife  remains  the  property  of  her 
choice,  and  all  return  to  the  village  contented. 

The  old  men  get  possession  of  all  the  young  girls  they  can, 
and  make  a  profit  out  of  them  in  this  way,  viz  :  a  young  man 
will  pay  a  large  bonus  to  be  admitted  as  a  member  of  the 
family  and  allowed  to  marry,  after  which,  besides  the  bonus, 


234  NOTES    TAKEN. 

part  of  all  that  he  obtains  in  war  or  hunting,  becomes  the 
property  of  the  old  head  of  the  family ;  they  often  liberate 
prisoners  on  the  same  conditions. 

Young  girls  are  not  reluctant  to  marry  very  old  men,  if  they 
are  chiefs,  being  sure  of  always  having  something  to  eat,  if 
there  is  anything  in  camp,  the  chief  always  having  first 
choice. 

A  shrewd  trick  related  of  Mo-ko-cho-pee — a  deceased  chief 
of  the  Southern  Camanches — amused  me  very  much.  The 
old  fellow  was  one  of  a  party  that  visited  Washington,  and 
was  much  interested  with  what  he  saw,  and  wished  to  travel 
generally  through  the  States,  but  finding  this  required  money, 
he  returned  to  his  tribe  determined  to  accumulate  sufficient 
to  pay  his  expenses  on  the  grand  tour.  Whenever  any  of 
his  band — which  they  often  did,  after  returning  from  a  foray, 
would  bring  him  coins  to  ask  the  value,  he  would  always  tell 
them  it  was  best  to  throw  them  away,  as  they  were  worthless  ; 
knowing  they  would  follow  his  advice,  he  would  watch  closely 
where  the  coins  were  thrown,  and  going  out  secretly,  secure 
them.  In  this  way,  it  was  found  when  he  died,  that  he  had 
accumulated  a  very  large  sum  of  money. 

In  trading  they  are  careful  to  have  a  good  price  fixed  for  a 
herd  of  horses  and  mules,  by  displaying  the  best  stock  first, 
when  all  the  rest  are  expected  to  be  taken  at  the  same  price. 
They  also  prefer  a  variety  rather  than  quantity,  even  though 
the  goods  may  not  be  so  valuable. 
They  never  travel  twice  upon  the  same  trail,  and  on  leaving 


WAR   PARTY.  235 

a  camp,  separate  into  small  parties,  each  pne  taking  a  differ- 
ent route,  and  arriving  at  some  appointed  place.  They  eat 
nothing  but  meat,  and  are  called  among  the  other  tribes 
"  the  buffalo  eaters." 

Always  travelling  upon  an  empty  stomach,  they  ride  fast 
and  far,  then  eat  enormously,  and  afterwards  sleep  imme- 
diately, when  they  are  again  ready  for  the  road. 

No  young  man  is  admitted  into  the  ranks  of  the  braves 
until  he  has  stolen  a  number  of  horses  and  mules  and  taken 
scalps,  the  consequence  is  that  parties  will  go  off  and  begone 
sometimes  two  years,  and  it  is  these  who  commit  the  most 
horrid  atrocities  upon  the  plains. 

They  require  no  equipments  on  these  expeditions  but  their 
horses  and  weapons,  subsisting  upon  what  they  find  on  their 
route. 

When  a  chief  wishes  to  go  to  war,  he  mounts  on  horse- 
back, holding  erect  a  long  pole  with  a  red  flag  tipped  with 
eagle's  feathers  attached,  and  rides  through  the  camp  singing 
his  war-song.  Those  who  wish  to  go  fall  in,  and  after  going 
round  for  a  while  they  dismount,  and  the  war-dance  com- 
mences. This  routine  is  gone  through  with  several  days, 
until  sufficient  volunteers  are  collected.  Each  warrior 
provides  his  own  horse  and  equipments,  and  they  manage  to 
mount  themselves  upon  white  or  cream-colored  horses  if 
possible,  which  they  paint  all  over  in  the  most  fantastic 
figures  imaginable. 

The  whole    thing    is   voluntary,  but    one    who    behaves 


230  NOTES   TAKEN. 

cowardly  is  disgraced,  nor  do  they  return  until  the  wish  to  do 
so  is  unanimous.  Should  the  expedition  prove  unsuccessful 
they  separate  into  small  parties,  and  on  their  way  back  to 
their  tribe,  rob  and  kill  whenever  an  opportunity  offers,  as  it 
is  considered  disgraceful  to  return  empty  handed  ;  they  also 
shave  their  horses'  tails  and  put  on  mourning  for  a  long  time. 
If  it  is  successful,  they  send  a  herald  ahead  to  announce  their 
arrival,  when  great  preparations  are  made  to  receive  them, 
the  old  women  set  up  a  shout  of  exultation  when  they 
appear,  the  scalp  dance  commences,  and  is  performed  with  all 
the  ceremonies. 

When  a  Camanche  warrior  dies,  he  is  buried  upon  the  top 
of  the  highest  hill  near  camp,  with  his  face  to  the  East,  his 
war-horse  is  killed  and  his  weapons  burnt  up,  his  other 
animals  having  their  manes  and  tails  shaved  close,  and  the 
women  have  to  cut  their  hair  close,  as  a  symbol  of  mourning. 
For  a  long  time  after  the  decease  the  relatives  and  friends 
assemble  morning  and  evening  to  cry,  and  howl  and  cut 
themselves  with  knives.  This  ceremony  takes  place  outside 
the  encampment,  and  lasts  sometimes  a  month.  They  bury 
immediately  after  death,  not  permitting  the  body  to  remain 
above  ground  any  longer  than  necessary  to  prepare  the 
grave. 

When  a  young  warrior  dies,  they  mourn  a  long  time,  but 

when  an  old  person  dies,  they  mourn  but  little,  saying  that 

they  cannot  live  forever,  and  it  was  time   they  should  go. 

They  believe  all  go  up  to  a    place  above,  where  they  are 


MOURNING.  .        237 

happy,  that  they  are  permitted  to  visit  the  earth  at  night, 
but  must  return  at  daylight. 

The  Osages  and  other  northern  tribes  have  the  same 
custom  of  howling  at  the  death  of  friends,  with  this  addition , 
that  presents  are  distributed  to  the  mourners  ;  many  there- 
fore come  to  howl  in  expectation  of  getting  a  present. 

Jim  Shaw  told  me  that  he  knew  one  old  woman  who  kept  up 
howling  so  long,  that  one  of  the  friends  of  the  deceased  asked 
her  what  she  wanted,  and  what  she  howled  for,  she  immedi- 
ately said  for  a  horse,  which  was  given  her,  and  she  became 
silent.  He  also  told  me  that  the  practice  of  cutting  them- 
selves, was  done  in  many  instances  in  order  to  promote  tears 
by  the  pain. 

The  Caddos  howl  when  in  want  and  distress,  saying  that 
the  Great  Spirit  will  hear  and  assist  them  if  they  cry  to  him> 
— an  untutored  and  primitive  idea  of  prayer. 

Whilst  Major  Neighbours  was  with  the  Tonkaways,  a  band 
of  forty  Camanches,  headed  by  Mo-ko-cho-pee,  came  into 
camp,  and  were  very  exacting  in  their  demands,  ordering  the 
Tonkaways  to  take  care  of  their  horses,  and  get  them  some 
supper,  which  was  immediately  done,  and  at  the  same  time 
forty  of  their  best  looking  girls  were  assigned  to  their  guests. 
The  Major  endeavored  to  get:  on  good  terms  with  the  chief, 
told  him  he  was  Indian  agent  for  Texas,  and  that  the  people 
of  that  State  desired  to  keep  peace  with  all  the  Indians,  and 
especially  with  the  Camanches. 

The  chief  replied,  that  the  whites  were  great  rascals,  but 
21 


238  NOTES    TAKEN. 

he  believed  the  Major  to  be  a  very  clever  fellow,  and  he 
particularly  admired  the  coat  he  wore,  whereupon  the  Major 
pulled  it  off  and  gave  it  to  him.  Another  then  admired  his 
vest,  another  his  pantaloons,  another  his  boots,  and  so  on  to 
his  cravat  and  stockings,  thus  completely  denuding  the  Major 
of  a  new  outfit  he  had  made  in  Washington,  and  leaving  him 
in  his  shirt.  He  says,  however,  that  naked  though  he  was, 
he  laughed  heartily  at  the  grotesque  appearance  of  these 
fellows,  strutting  about,  each  with  some  portion  of  his  ward- 
robe upon  his  tawny  figure.  They  were  so  much  pleased  with 
his  generosity,  that  they  insisted  upon  his  going  along  with 
them,  and  told  him  that  if  he  would  join  their  horse-stealing 
expedition,  they  would  adopt  him  into  their  tribe, — thinking 
he  might  prevent  them  from  depredating,  he  went  with  them. 
A  few  days  afterwards,  they  came  to  the  rancho  of  an  old 
Mexican,  where  the  Major  applied  for  some  beef  for  them, 
telling  the  Mexican  that  he  would  see  him  paid ;  the  old  man 
refused  unless  the  money  was  paid  beforehand,  when  the  chief 
told  him  that  he  wanted  two  beeves,  and  if  they  were  not 
forthcoming  in  half  an  hour,  he  would  burn  his  rancho  and 
kill  his  stock,  it  is  needless  to  say  the  beeves  were  handed 
over.  The  Major  remained  a  few  days  longer  with  them,  but 
getting  tired  persuaded  them  to  let  him  go.  This  anecdote 
illustrates  how  completely  the  Camanches  have  ruled  in  the 
plains,  the  terror  of  the  other  wandering  tribes,  and  the 
scourge  of  the  frontier  settlements,  their  reign  it  is  to  be 
hoped  is  at  an  end. 


SIMILARITY    TO    ARABS.  239 

In  roaming  over  the  plains  of  the  South-west  I  was  struck 
with  their  similarity  to  the  steppes  of  Tartary  and  the  deserts 
of  Arabia,  but  not  more  so  than  with  the  resemblance  of  the 
inhabitants  of  both. 

The  Nomades  of  the  old  world  and  the  wild  Indian  of  the 
prairie  have  no  permanent  abiding  place,  but  where  their 
lodges  are  pitched  there  are  their  homes.  Their  respective 
governments  are  patriarchal,  sanctioned  by  the  masses,  and 
guided  by  the  counsels  of  the  elders.  They  never  cultivate 
the  soil,  but  subsist  upon  plunder  and  the  chase.  They  are 
alike  in  their  attachment  to  the  horse  and  expertness  in  horse- 
manship. Coinciding  in  their  views  of  the  rights  of  property, 
they  consider  stealing  from  strangers  as  perfectly  legitimate, 
are  the  greatest  marauders  on  earth,  and  he  who  is  most 
expert  and  successful  is  the  greatest  among  them. 

In  minor  and  domestic  customs  they  are  identical.  Polygamy 
is  allowed,  they  sit  cross-legged  upon  mats,  are  very  fond  of 
tobacco,  and  saddle,  bridle,  and  mount  their  horses  from  the 
right  side,  they  also  eat  with  their  fingers. 

The  estimation  in  which  a  successful  robber  is  held,  is  illus- 
trated by  an  anecdote  of  an  old  chief,  who  said  he  had  four 
sons  who  were  a  great  comfort  to  him  in  his  decliniug  years, 
as  they  could  steal  more  horses  than  any  young  men  in  the 
tribe. 

The  favourite  horse  of  the  wild  Indian  is  his  constant  com- 
panion, and  it  is  when  mounted  and  going  through  with  his 
war-exercises  that  he  shows  to  the  best  advantage.  In  the 


240  NOTES   TAKEN/ 

saddle  from  boyhood  to  old  age,  he  acquires  such  skill  and 
dexterity  as  to  realize  the  appearance  of  the  famed  Centaur 
of  mythology.  Throwing  himself  entirely  on  one  side  of  his 
horse,  he  will  discharge  his  arrows  with  the  utmost  rapidity 
from  beneath  the  animal's  neck,  whilst  at  full  speed,  shielding 
his  person  by  the  animal's  body,  and  regaining  his  seat  with 
no  effort  except  the  muscles  of  the  leg. 

The  bow  is  their  favourite  weapon,  and  being  placed  in  the 
hands  of  the  boys  at  an  early  age,  they  acquire  extraordinary 
proficiency,  rendering  them  not  only  successful  in  the  chase  but 
formidable  in  war.  At  short  distances,  they  will  frequently 
throw  an  arrow  entirely  through  the  huge  carcass  of  the 
buffalo. 

With  a  shield  made  of  untanned  buffalo-hide,  they  protect 
themselves  from  this  weapon  in  war,  fastening  it  upon  the 
left  arm,  so  as  not  to  interfere  with  the  free  use  of  the  hand, 
and  performing  their  feats  of  horsemanship ;  equipped  in  this 
way,  with  the  addition  of  a  war-club,  made  of  a  heavy  stone, 
grooved  in  around  the  centre  to  receive  a  withe  bound  with 
buffalo-hide. 

Brave  to  a  fault,  they  always  fight  in  the  open  prairie, 
charging  boldly  up  to  their  enemies,  discharging  their  missiles 
and  advancing  and  retreating  with  great  rapidity. 

Though  kind  and  hospitable  to  strangers,  and  fraternal  in 
their  intercourse  with  each  other,  they  are  implacable  in  their 
hatred,  and  any  insult  offered  can  only  be  atoned  for  by  blood. 

They  believe  in  amulets  and  charms,  and  in  dreams — the 


REMARKS.  241 

vapour-bath  is  usdti  both  for  healing  diseases  and  as  a  pre- 
paration for  young  men  who  wish  to  assume  the  rank  of 
warriors. 

They  have  no  idea  of  Christianity,  nor  have  missionaries 
ever  visited  them,  offering  a  wide  field  for  those  philanthropists 
who  are  now  sending  the  blessings  of  the  gospel  to  distant 
lands :  here  is  a  people  at  our  very  doors,  to  whom  we  may 
atone  in  this  way,  in  some  measure,  for  the  wrongs  they  have 
suffered  at  our  hands. 

Their  present  and  former  modes  of  subsistence  being 
rapidly  on  the  decline,  it  becomes  an  interesting  question 
what  is  to  become  of  these  people.  The  views  of  the  govern- 
ment, in  this  expedition,  would  ameliorate  their  condition,  but 
their  inherent  dislike  of  the  white  man  and  his  customs,  are 
the  great  barrier  to  its  success,  and  of  three  extremities 
my  opinion  is,  they  will  adhere  to  their  present  life,  and 
finally  disappear  entirely — they  must  either  work,  steal,  or 
starve;  stealing  being  more  congenial,  they  will  continue 
to  follow  it  until  repeated  chastisement  accomplishes  their 
destruction. 


21* 


242  NOTES   TAKEN. 

* 

"  CONCLUSION. 

October  1st. — We  were  now  about  to  separate,  the  excite- 
ment of  the  trip  was  over;  the  object  of  the  expedition  was 
attained,  and  we  were  all  heartily  tired  and  anxious  once  more 
for  the  comforts  of  home  and  the  society  of  friends. 

We  had  been  fortunate  in  not  losing  a  man  by  sickness  or 
casualty,  and  in  this  respect  had  great  cause  for  congratu- 
lation after  the  great  privations  suffered,  and  the  extent  of 
country  passed  over. 

Leaving  the  train  in  charge  of  the  subalterns  to  march  to 
Fort  Arbuckle,  the  Captain,  Doctor,  and  myself,  passed  ra- 
pidly over  the  road  to  Fort  Smith,  where  we  arrived  on  the 
fifteenth,  when  the  Captain  and  myself  procured  a  convey- 
ance by  land  through  Arkansas  and  Missouri,  and  arriving 
at  Jefferson  City  on  the  twenty-fourth,  the  first  of  November 
found  us  both  at  our  respective  homes,  after  a  six  months 
absence,  and  thus  ended  my  tour  on  the  Prairies. 


LIST    OF    BOOKS, 


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Sweet  Singer  of  Israel.    Collection  of  Hymns  and  Spiritual  Songs,  32mo 22 

Thomson's  Seasons,  24mo.,  Muslin,  gilt  edges 62 

Young's  Night  Thoughts,  24mo.,  Muslin  gilt  edges 62 


COLLEGIATE  AND  SCHOOL. 

American  Orator's  Own  Book,  being  a  Manual  of  Extemporaneous  Eloquence, 
including  a  Course  of  Discipline  for  the  Faculties  of  Discrimination,  Arrangement, 
and  Oral  Discussion,  also  Practical  Exercises  in  Reading,  Recitation  and  Declama- 
tory Debate,  ISino.,  half  arabesque 38 

2 


HAYES  &  ZELL'S  CATALOGUE  OF  BOOKS. 

Blair's  Lectures  on  Rhetoric.  Abridged  with  questions,  18mo.,  half  arabesque,  38 
Blair's  Lectures  on  Rhetoric  and  Belles  Letters.  University  edition,  with 

Mills'  Copious  Questions  and  Analysis,  8vo.,  sheep 1  75 

Brown  &  Gengembre's  English  Grammar 38 

Evenings  at  Home,  100  engravings,  18mo.,  muslin,  gilt, .... 75 

Evidences  of  Christianity,  by  Watson,  Jenyns,  Leslie  and  Paley,  introduction 

by  A.  Alexandee,  ISmo.,  half  arabesque 75 

Gibson's  Surgery,  eighth  edition,  2  vols.,  Svo.,  net,  cash  account.. 5  50 

Kay's  Infant  and  Primary  School  Reader  and  Definer,  No.  1 20 

«          «                      ,  ,f    n        "                  "                            "               NO.  2 29 

«          «                          "             «                 "                          «              No.  3 34 

Lyell's  Elements  of  Geology,  for  Colleges  and  Schools,  300  engravings.  12mo. 

half  arabesque 1  25 

Locke's  Essays  on  the  Human  Understanding,  8vo.,  sheep 2  00 

Murray's  Grammar.    Abridged.., 10 

Milton's  Paradise  Lost,  ISmoej  half  arabesque 38 

National  Cook  Book 75 

Peterson's  Familiar  Science,  ISmo v 38 

«                  «                      «           12mo , 75 

Primers,  Union  School,  ISmo.,  per  gross 

"         Model       "         12mo..       "       

"         Blue  Pictorial,  per  gross 

Paley's  Evidences  of  Christianity ;  with  portrait,  18mo.,  half  arabesque 50 

Pocket  Anatomist;  use  of  Medical  Students,  24mo.,  muslin 31 

PoUok's  Course  of  Time,  24mo.,  school  edition ~ 19 

Thomson's  Seasons,  24mo.,  school  edition 19 

Young's  Night  Thoughts,  24mo.,  school  edition 19 


Collet's  Levizac's  FrenchiGrammar,  half  arabesque 63 

do         Pronouncing  French  Reader. 63 

Interlinear  French  Reader,  being  a  Key  to  the  Pronouncing 

French  reader,  half  arabesque 63 

do          French  Anecdotes  and  Questions,  half  arabesque 63 

do  French  Dialogues  and  Phrases,  with  an  English  Translation,  half 

arabesque 63 

do  Key  to  the  Exercises  in  Collet's  French  Grammar,  half  arabesque  38 

3 


HAYES  &  ZELL'S  CATALOGUE  OP  BOOKS. 


:BOO:K:S- 

Hawthorne's  Holiday  Library.    12  vols.  illustrated  with  over  500  Engravings, 
composed  of  the  following  beautiful  little  volumes  for  children- 
OCR  JENNY,  BOOK  OF  CURIOSITIES, 
SERENA'S  THREE  TRIALS,  "     «    ADVENTURES, 
LITTLE  GLASS  SHOE,                                   STOKIES  OP  WILD  ANIMALS, 
HOUSE  IN  THE  WOOD,                                   «        "  BIRDS, 
FAIRY  STORIES,                                              «'        "   AFRICA, 
STORIES  OF  ASIA,                                       NURSERY  RHYMES, 

Fancy  Covers,  per  dozen, 3  00 

Extra  Red  and  Blue  Muslin,  in  neat  box, per  doz.  4  50 

"       "  "         "        gilt  edge  do «  600 

"        «  «         «        col'd  plates,  do «  600 

Christmas  Story  Book.    384  pages,  illustrated  with  over  100  Engravings,— extra 

muslin  gilt 75 

Gilt  edges 1  00 

Colored  plates, 1  00 

Fairy  "Wreath.    384  pages,  illustrated  with  over  100  Engravings.    Extra  muslin, 

gilt, 75 

Gilt  edges 1  00 

Colored  plates 1  00 

Tales  of  Adventures.    384  pages,  illustrated  with  over  150  Engravings.    Extra 

muslin,  gilt 75 

Gilt  edges. 1  00 

Colored  plates./. 1  00 

Little  Traveller's  Keepsake.    384  pages,  illustrated  with  over  100  Engravings. 

extra  muslin,  gilt 75 

Gilt  edges 1  00 

Colored  plates 1  00 

Lovechild's  Shilling  Library.    6  volumes  beautifully  illustrated,  containing 
the  following  interesting  volumes  for  the  young — 

THE  CLEVER  BOY,  THE  LITTLE  BASKET  MAKER, 

THE  KINO:  OF  THE  SWANS,  THE  Two  DOVES, 

[IAKRY  TRIPP,  WATER  FAIRY. 

Stiff  paper  covers,— per  dozen v 1  50 

Extra  muslin  «  «'          300 

4 


HAYES  &  ZELL'S  CATALOGUE  OF  BOOKS. 

The  Old  Oak  Chest  and  other  Stories.  240  pages,  fancy  backs 30 

Extra  muslin,  gilt 45 

Mother  Goose's  Melodies.  128  Engravings,  paper,  per  dozen 1  12 

muslin,  per  dozen 2  25 

ESPEEANZA ;  or,  the  Home  of  the  Wanderers. 

By  Miss  ANXE  BOWBN,  beautifully  illustrated  with  fine  engravings  on  tinted  paper 

By  WAITT,— 384  pages,  12mo.,  muslin 84 

This  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  books  of  the  kind  ever  written  for  the  young. 
It  contains  the  adventures  of  a  Family  who  had  the  misfortune  to  be  cast 
on  the  Coast  of  South  America,  who,  after  many  thrilling,  perilous  and 
amusing  incidents,  while  travelling  inland  and  crossing  the  Andes,  finally 
settled  in  a  wild  and  desolate  region.  It  is  also  very  instructive,  contain- 
ing many  curious  facts  from  Natural  History,  Botany,  &c. 

3UCTJSIO    BOOKS- 

Winner's  Collection  of  Music  for  the  Violin,  containing  80  pages  of  the 
most  popular  music  of  the  day,  arranged  in  the  easiest  and  best  manner, 
entirely  in  the  first  position, — each, 30 

Winner's  Complete  Method  for  the  Violin,  containing  full  and  complete 
instructions  for  that  instrument,  with  progressive  exercises  carefully  arranged, 
and  a  large  collection  of  the  latest  music,— each, 30 

Winner's  Approved  Accordeon  Method,  on  an  entirely  new  plan,  con- 
taining the  rudiments  of  Music,  Scales,  and  Exercises,  by  which  a  person  can 
learn  to  play  music  in  any  key,  whether  written  for  the  Piano,  Violin  or  Flute, — 
each, 30 

Winner's  Popular  Method  for  the  Flute,  containing  Instructions  for  the 
Instrument,  Exercises,  and  a  large  variety  of  beautiful  Music  carefully  arranged, 

among  which  are  Quadrilles  from  some  of  the  best  Operas,— each, 30 

***  The  above  Four  Works  contain  the  largest  collection  of  new  and  popular 
Music  ever  before  published  and  arranged  for  the  several  instruments;  the 
Music  in  each  book  is  different,  they  contain — 
Twelve  Sets  COTILLIONS,  arranged  from  beautiful  Opera  Airs,  Ethiopian  Songs, 

&c.,&c. 

Eight  sets  POLKA  QUADRILLES,  the  prettiest  and  most  popular  hi  use. 
Three  sets  MAZOURKA  QCADRILLES. 
Two  sets  SCHOTTISCHZ  QUADRILLES. 

5       c 


HAYES  &  ZELL'S  CATALOGUE  OF  BOOKS. 

Twenty-eight  of  the  latest  and  most  fashionable  POLKAS. 

Thirty  Waltzes,  Twenty  Schottisches,  Sixty  Reels,  Jigs,  Hornpipes,  and  upwards 
of  200  Miscellaneous  pieces,  such  as  Ballads,  Quicksteps,  Mazourkas,  Gallops* 
Ethiopian  Airs,  &c.,  &c.,  all  of  which  are  suitable  either  for  the  Violin  or 
Flute. 

Music  paper. 

ALBUMS    AND    AUTOGRAPH    BOOKS. 

Cap  4to.,  assorted  kinds,  with  fine  steel  Engravings,  each, 1  25 

Double  thickness , 2  00 

Autograph  Books,  each 75,  1  12,  1  50 

Albums,  Demy  4to.,  assorted  kinds,  fine  colored  plates 3  75 

Do.       Engravings, 3  37 


l»  I 


